In This Life I Was Loved By You
by stablerchika
Summary: Harry and Hermione had been together for years, until her life was threatened and Dumbledore whisked her away. It's been seven years since she left. When they meet again, Harry and Hermione's lives are turned upside down as they discover each other again.
1. Love Says They Will

** A/N: This is a story I've been working on FOREVER (something like a year now!). I have plenty left to post, if y'all want to read it... PS - the only reason they are so young is for the timing, I wanted Sirius to be in the picture at the wedding, and so on and so forth! The rating's M, and will go higher! Happy reading, and please R&R! Turice**

_**IN THIS LIFE (I WAS LOVED BY YOU)**_

_**CHAPTER ONE: LOVE SAYS THEY WILL**_

July 17, 1993

Young Hermione Granger looked up the aisle where her groom waited. She hadn't known him for very long, a precious three years, and a lot of that was spent being upset with him and Ron. She was young, and she knew it, but that's why they weren't having a huge wedding. There were a total of five people there that night: Hermione, her groom, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and the justice of the peace.

Hermione's eyes locked on her groom's. He smiled and she felt her knees go weak. She knew then for certain that she and Harry were ready to be married. Remus appeared at her side and offered her his arm, ready to walk her to her new life.

With wet eyes, she took his arm and began those fateful few steps down the aisle. She reached for her man and looked over his shoulder to see her new godfather-in-law smiling on the two of them, grinning from ear to ear and a silent tear coming to the corner of his eye.

The ceremony was a quiet one, mainly because, not only were they a mere thirteen years old, but Harry's fame wasn't something bride nor groom was looking to acknowledge that night. They wouldn't tell anyone about the marriage; it wasn't something they wanted to advertise. They wouldn't appear any closer in public than common knowledge already said they were, and would keep quiet about being any closer than best friends until they were through with Hogwarts.

As soon as the first kiss as husband and wife had taken place, Sirius rushed forward and scooped up Hermione into a bone-crushing hug. He was trembling with happiness under her. She was glad she was now going to be able to spend a lot more time with him and Remus. Remus had become a good friend to Harry, Hermione, and Ron over the course of their third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Sirius had only returned to Harry's life a month ago, but already Hermione could see a strong affection in Harry's eyes for Sirius. He was like the father Harry lost at such a young age, and Hermione knew just how much Sirius had come to mean to Harry, and Harry to Sirius.

Hermione looked at her husband and watched as he did a little joyfully dance. Sirius and Remus laughed, while Hermione was smiling so much her cheeks ached. Her heart was fit to burst, and if she didn't sit down soon, she might faint.

"Oh Harry, I'm not gonna have to walk _myself _out of here, am I?"

"Yeah Harry, where are your manners? A lady should never walk herself from the alter! Go carry your bride! Honestly, are we going to have to hold your hand for the next forty years, teaching you how to do this?" Sirius mocked playfully.

Harry looked at his new wife in the brilliant white of her gown and pearls and grinned, "My hand's a little pre-occupied, and will be for a while."

Harry put an arm around Hermione and swept her up and out of the church to their marriage bed.

**A/N: What did you think? Let me know, please please please! Should I post the rest?**


	2. There Goes My Life

_**A/N: Okay, the first chapters are pretty short, but that's because it's mostly background stuff... gimme some time, the chapters will start to get longer, I promise!**_

_**CHAPTER TWO: THERE GOES MY LIFE**_

5 years later ( July 1998)

Hermione came bursting through the door, tears and a smile lighting up her face. Harry was sitting at the kitchen table and stood up right in time to have the wind knocked out of him by his now eighteen-year-old wife's body colliding with his.

"WE'RE PREGNANT!" She told him while trying to control the shake in her voice and squeezing his neck fiercely.

"WE ARE WE ARE WE ARE!"

Harry collapsed back onto the kitchen chair, unable to speak through the knot in his throat. He looked up at Hermione. His Hermione, and imagined her looking very pregnant with his child. He was hard-put to imagine her as more beautiful any time later than she was right then, standing in front of him, smiling and crying and laughing all at once. No, she was absolutely stunning, and he had never loved her more. He stood up, put a hand onto her lower belly, and pulled her into a deep embrace, followed by a series of long, slow, kisses.


	3. Grown Men Don't Cry

_**CHAPTER THREE: GROWN MEN DON'T CRY**_

7 months later (February 1999)

It had been seven long and grueling months since that day in the kitchen. Seven LONG months, filled with mood swings and infinite amounts of chocolate and pickles.

Harry suddenly felt a sharp pain in his hand, and looked down to see the tips of his fingers protruding from his wife's hand grip, which was so tough it was cutting off Harry's circulation and turning his fingers purple.

He moaned a little as her grip tightened and tried to pry her fingers loose. After a few failed attempts, he gave up and let his hand fall limp.

"Harry, why the hell am I in this position? Who put me here? " Hermione cried through gritted teeth.

Harry decided that there was nothing more painful for a man than a woman in labor.

Hermione's cries intensified as the contraction interval increased.

"Push, Hermione, Push" the nurse called.

With strength Harry didn't know she still had in her, Hermione scrunched up her pretty face and gave one tremendous push. Seconds after she relaxed, a baby's first cries filled the room, just as both Harry and Hermione began to cry.

"It's a boy! Congratulations, Daddy, you have a son!"

The nurse placed a clean little boy into Harry's arms. He kissed the boy's head, and looked at his wife.

"What's his name?" Harry asked Mrs. Potter.

"Charlie. Charles Sirius Potter." She said quietly.

What Hermione said hit Harry in the gut. She knew how much he loved Sirius, and didn't even have to ask before naming their son after him. He loved her. He really did. He couldn't thank her enough, and decided instead to kiss her over and over.

While Hermione was sleeping, Harry picked up their young son and walked out to Remus and Ron. Both jumped up to greet him. Remus was first to reach him.

"What's his name?" Ron asked.

Harry spoke quietly, quoting his wife. "Charlie. Charles Sirius Potter."

Harry had never seen Remus shed a tear, not even when Sirius had died, but he did now, the other two men crying with him.


	4. In A Real Love

_**A/N: Thanks to those of you who reviewed! **_

_**Viktor Krum's lazyllama101 I'm glad you like it! The tears will start flowing in later chapters! Keep reading!**_

_**Leentja I have big plans for Sirius still, and don't worry, you'll love them, I promise! Thank you!**_

_**Stickzx The first parts are background stuff before I really launch into the story, and then I'll make sure t he chapters are longer. Much longer! Thanks for the review!**_

_**CHAPTER FOUR: IN A REAL LOVE**_

14 months later (April 2000)

Harry was doing one of the many house hold chores he had taken over since Charlie was born. Or maybe three of the many chores he had gotten used to. He had Charlie in one arm, a vacuum in the other. He had laundry being cleaned, and was ready for Hermione when she got home from work.

"Honey, I'm home!" they heard from the entry way. Harry and Charlie went to greet Mom, who had on a large jacket and a pink cardboard box in her hand. For only being nineteen years old, she really looked mature. Her hair was wind-blown, her pink cheeks made her dark brown eyes look even darker. Harry had many times noticed that her hips had widened since Charlie. And she was as beautiful as the day they'd wed.

They paused for a split second, Harry and Hermione having a conversation no one could hear, because they could see what the other was thinking in their eyes. Harry leaned over to kiss his wife's candy-flavored lips.

"What's in the box?" Harry questioned.

"It's your surprise. Don't touch it."

"What is it?"

"Not telling. You'll have to wait and see." Hermione winked at Harry and carried the pink box into the bedroom. Harry, fighting the urge to follow, turned on his heel and went to preparing dinner for the family.

Hermione barely talked all through dinner. She kept glancing between Harry and Charlie, a small twinkle in her eye. Harry really wanted to pop and ask her what the hell she was keeping from him, but he knew that when Hermione set her mind to something, there was no stopping her.

Harry returned from laying Charlie down to sleep for the night to find a cake on the table. Guessing it was what was in the box and wondering why he got himself so worked up over a cake, Harry walked over to it. What he saw made his breathe catch in his throat.

The cake was white, with baby pink icing covering the side. There was a single pinstriped candle in the center of the cake, right in the middle of the words, "It's a girl!"

Harry couldn't talk, he couldn't move. He heard a choked giggle behind him. He turned and was instantly enveloped in Hermione's arms.


	5. That's My Job

_**Disclaimer (because I realized I forgot to put it on the first chapter and I'm too lazy to go back and edit it right now!): I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it. Any decent fans will realize which charaters in this story that I made up. :) :) :)**_

_**CHAPTER FIVE: THAT'S MY JOB**_

7 months later (November 2000)

This time wasn't nearly the same as last time. Both Harry and Hermione knew what to expect, but still Harry was shaking as the big moment approached. Hermione's belly had swelled so much bigger this time. She wasn't crying as much, something Harry had no idea why he wasn't comfortable with. There was something wrong. Something really wrong. Deep down, Harry knew it and he had never been so scared in his entire life.

Hermione had been pushing with all her might for a little too long. The Healer looked up at Harry with a solemn look on his face.

"There's something out of order. But relax, it will all be straightened out."

Hermione looked up, sweat pouring down her face. "What? What's wrong?"

"The baby's breech. We're going to try to fix it. We probably will be able to turn her, but the problem is getting her out in time. Relax, Hermione, I have work to do. Please, just let me try to get this baby out. Hermione, I said relax."

Hermione lay back down onto the pillow, crocodile tears now mingling with the sweat on her bright red face.

Harry had never felt so helpless. He was used to caring for others, including the woman on the bed next to him. This was his family, people he was responsible for. And his little girl's life was out of his control.

It took another fifteen minutes for Cecilia Lily Potter to come into the world. Harry watched as waves of emotions swept over Hermione's face when the nurse placed a brand new, healthy baby girl on her chest. She knew she was lucky to have her, and she had never felt so blessed in her twenty long years on Earth.


	6. Lotta Leavin Left To Do

_**A/N: Okay, finally a chapter that's a little longer! The chapters will continue to get longer from here! Enjoy!**_

_**CHAPTER SIX: LOTTA LEAVIN LEFT TO DO**_

2 months later (January 2001)

Albus Dumbledore stared across his desk at the stony face of Hermione Potter. It amazed him how much she had grown in the four years since she had left Hogwarts. He had since found out that she had married Harry when they were thirteen. She was a devoted wife and mother, and worked as an Auror alongside Harry and Ron and the other elite in the Wizarding world. He now had the terrible task of telling her that she was Voldemort's next assassination attempt.

"Why are you telling me this?" she questioned. "Better yet, what are we going to do about it?"

"Hermione, you know as well as I do that you are particularly vulnerable to Voldemort. If we don't take action soon, HE WILL KILL YOU. "

"So what do you propose we do?"

"We beat him to it."

The look on Hermione's face told him that that had come out wrong. He could tell she thought he had finally fallen off his rocker, and she was seeing just how long it would take her to run for the door.

"It's not what you're thinking."

Had the situation not been so tense and sad, Dumbledore would have laughed at the sense of relief that showed on the young woman's face.

"What I am about to tell you will break your heart. I know it will. But remember, this is for your and your family's own good. What I mean by "beat him to it" is, we fake your death."

Hermione was out of her chair and headed for the door is a single swift movement. Dumbledore, moving with speed he had no idea he still possessed, moved ahead of her and blocked her way.

""Dumbledore, let me out. That idea is bull. I'm not faking my own death, and you won't help me. I mean, come on, how would we pull that off? Why would we even try? You know that's not me. I could never leave Harry and the kids. I want to face Voldemort."

"Hermione, you might be one of the best Aurors in the business, but he can hurt you. Terribly. Hermione, if you don't do this, you won't be around in the long run. Yes, you will have to miss months, even years of your children's' lives, but would you rather miss now and be there for them in the long run, or be here now and possibly deprive them of you in the later years?"

"Dumbledore, you are not a parent. Headmaster doesn't even come close to what it feels like to be a parent, so don't try that excuse. Harry, Charlie, and Cecilia are the reason I get up in the morning. How could I walk out on them?"

"All we'll do is move you out of town now, and I'll tell everyone that a tragic accident has befallen you. You'll be "dead", but still alive and healthy, and that's what important."

"Where will I go?" Hermione questioned with a look of dejection in her eyes.

"America. I know a family whose daughter just passed on. You could take on her appearance, and live like she would have. They are willing to accept you into their home. She was a singer. Voldemort would never suspect it, and even if he did, he wouldn't find you. Ever. You of course will always have my protection and theirs protecting you. What do you think?"

"You're insane. Now let me out. I'm going home."

"Hermione, he'll hurt you. I don't want that to happen. Please Hermione. Just go."

The look of disgust mixed with receipt in her eyes told him in no uncertain terms that he had her cornered.

"You'll leave for America. I'll send Fawkes along with word to the family. I'll send you there now."

"Now? Why now? Can't I spend time with my family first?"

"No. You'll only hurt yourself more."

Without allowing her another word, he vanished her, and sent her on her way to a town in Texas.


	7. Amarillo By Morning

_**CHAPTER SEVEN: AMARILLO BY MORNING**_

Hermione was flung through the air with absolutely no control over her limbs or her emotions. She could not think of a time when she had had more distaste for the old man. He had just single- handedly taken everything she loved from her and sent her to the God-forsaken middle of nowhere, expecting her to live.

"Fat Chance" Hermione said aloud in the darkness of the early Amarillo morning. She got to her feet, and with heavy eyes, took in her surroundings. She was in the middle of a street, facing a small, blue-with-white-shingles house that looked ready to crumble to the ground the moment a sudden gust of wind touched it.

She had been standing, staring at the house for about a minute when out of it a short, gray-haired, round woman came flying through the door, followed by a tall, balding man. The woman unceremoniously placed a firm grip on Hermione's wrist, and all but pulled her into the shabby house.

Once inside, the woman dragged Hermione into a small kitchen and sat her in a chair, and began bustling around, all the while talking to Hermione about how she liked her tea. "How do you like your tea, Dearie?" the woman turned to Hermione, smiling.

Hermione was baffled. This woman had just been really brisk with her, and now was standing there, smiling like a Looney toon.

"Umm, strong. Really strong." Hermione replied, trying to keep the bewilderment out of her voice.

"Oh, Dearie, you're confused. What's wrong?" the man said gently.

_Damn, these two are good. _Hermione thought to herself.

"I'm nervous. And I miss my family already."

"Family? What family, Dearie? Dumbledore told us of no family…" the man said.

"I have a husband. We have two kids, a boy and a girl"

"Really now? You look so young to have a husband and kids."

"We married when we were thirteen. I had Charlie at eighteen and Cecilia two months ago."

"Your husband's name is?"

"Harry."

"Harry Potter? Are you serious?" The woman looked astounded, and all at once jumped up and hugged Hermione, trembling with excitement. Hermione wondered if she had slipped up and told them her last name was Potter. She concluded that she had not. So how would the woman know?

"You and your husband are heroes! You have saved the world of wizards from a terrible fate! And you're here to live with us! Oh, I'm tickled. Just tickled pink."

"Mary, Dear, let the poor girl breathe. She's turning blue." The man pulled Mary off Hermione and out of the kitchen. She got a good look at her face before collapsing in on herself to nurse her crushed ribs. The woman's face was red and puffy.

The man came back into the room. "Sorry, Dear, she, uhh, was obviously kinda excited."

Hermione could do nothing but shake her head and smile meekly. How could Dumbledore not mention the little fact that she was indeed Harry's wife?

"Hi, Hermione, my name's Ken" the man stuck out his calloused hand to shake Hermione's. "It's my pleasure to make your acquaintance. Please, stay as long as you like. You are welcome into our home. Please feel free to do as you please, so long as it does not infringe on any other residents. We know being pulled up by the roots and flung into a new life must be hellacious for you. We want you to be as comfortable as a hound dog in the chicken coup. We hope you will be as happy as can be expected here. What a pleasure for us."

Hermione, who had already decided that the people Dumbledore had stuck her with were a little kooky, decided to just play into Ken's game.

"So, now that we're all familiar, I have a question for you. With all due respect, who am I to portray?"

And Ken and Hermione sat up the rest of the day, Ken filling Hermione in on the girl she had just become.


	8. Can't Be Really Gone

_**CHAPTER EIGHT: CAN'T BE REALLY GONE**_

Harry sat on the steps outside the church. He was alone, being as Molly had his kids with her, allowing him his much needed break from people. The funeral had just let out, and mourners were still swarming the place, wanting to pay their last respects to the woman who had been in the center of Harry Potter's heart. He was still clad in the same patched jeans and flannel t-shirt he had had on for three days. He had absolutely no energy to change. He hadn't slept in nearly two days, either. As he played with a new hole that was forming on his jeans, he remembered fondly how Hermione had always been on him to stop playing with the threads, or soon there would be no jeans for her to patch anymore. He made a mental note to take the pants and shirt off as soon as he got home, shred them, and burn them piece by piece. It wasn't like he would ever be able to wear them again anyhow. After all, he'd worn them here, and this was not something he wanted to be reminded of every time he put the clothes on. Nor did he feel like looking at the patches and remembering how much time and love Hermione had put into the small stuff. It would be pure torture to realize that never again would she be able to do it.

Harry suddenly felt two tiny arms feel their way around his neck from behind. He sat there a moment, just enjoying the feel of his son's small but incredibly loving arms embracing the father he knew was sad, and remembering how his young wife had done the same hours after Harry had lost Sirius.

"Hey buddy, how's it going?" Harry pulled Charlie into his lap and looked him in the eye.

"Daddy, where's Mama? I miss her. I haven't had a Mama kiss in a very long time. When is she coming home?" Tears started to fill his eyes, those eyes that looked just like his mother's beautiful deep brown pair.

"I know you miss her. I miss her kisses, too, you know."

"So when are you going to go get her back?"

"I can't, Charlie. Mama's gone to heaven. She can't come back, because God loves her and wants her with him. But she knows you miss her, and she misses you. Someday, when you're really old, God will decide that he wants you with him too, and then you and Mummy will be together again. Until then ,you have to make sure you do Mummy proud here. Okay?"

Charlie didn't say anything, but buried his head in his Daddy's chest and cried, knowing subconsciously that it would be a really long time before he saw his Mama again, and that his Daddy missed her like crazy.

As Harry squeezed the boy who's future now depended solely on him, he did not realize that there was an old and wise wizard, standing invisible just a few feet from where he and his son sat, looking on the two of them and wondering if he had done the right thing after all by taking from them the woman the two of them obviously loved so much.


	9. Everything's Gonna Be Alright

_**A/N: Sorry this one's shorter, but give me a little break, I'm a busy girl! I'll post more than one chapter when they're short, alright? But here soon we shouldn't have that problem. Soon you'll be saying they're too long! LOL, just go with me on this one! And thanks for reading! Love from Turice :-)**_

_**CHAPTER NINE: EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT**_

11/2 years later (June 2002)

Hermione had no idea how she had wound up there again, but there she was. She was on the arm of Ken, walking towards a man she knew would fill the hole that was in her heart. Dan was a great guy, and he healed in her the pain she had at knowing that there was a man, a boy about three , and a girl about one, out there that she loved and could not be with. She was no longer that same woman. She had changed, grown accustomed to being known as Sandy Williams, music superstar and now, becoming Dan Willows' new wife. This was it, it was all going to be okay.

Meanwhile

Harry tried to pull his arm out from under the stranger who lay beside him in the bed. This wasn't right. In all this time, all the little flings he'd had with certain woman had never felt right. In his heart, he was still very much married. Not one of these woman measured up to Hermione. There was no love in their kisses, not any care and gentleness in their fingertips. They were just people to him, they weren't her. He firmly believed that never again would he get the kind of love he had from Hermione, and he had no desire to go looking for it; he didn't want to risk losing it all again. So only when he had strong urges or got lonely, he'd invite Martha from down the street, or maybe Connie from behind the counter in the market on the corner, and they'd have a night together.

He looked back at Rebecca, thinking that barmaids had nothing on market cashiers, then immediately felt disgusting and threw himself into the shower, hoping to cleanse himself of the guilt he felt from the inside out.


	10. You Get Used To Somebody

_**A/N: Okay, just so you're not confused, Hermione's alias is Sandy Willows...**_

_**CHAPTER TEN: YOU GET USED TO SOMEBODY**_

Three years later (June 2005)

Harry stepped out of his ritual morning shower to be greeted with Becky wrapping a towel around his dripping waist and running her hands up his back, but try as she might, she had no luck of relieving the tension Harry had stored there. Four whole years Hermione had been gone. Their son was six years old now, their daughter four. Harry had to say that he was proud of the way they'd turned out so far. Charlie had grown fast and helped his dad often with the household chores and caring for his little sister, and for that Harry was grateful. Harry had kept Becky around for a while now. He had no idea why, but she kind of stuck. She annoyed the hell out of him, and he normally was pretty sharp with her, but she was human, and having someone to be around every now and then wasn't so bad. Harry watched as she crossed the bathroom of their London Muggle-style home and turned the volume up on their television.

"And in other news, American music star Sandy Willows remarried yesterday. She and fellow pop star Brad Mason tied the knot yesterday in a surprise ceremony in Jamaica. This is his first marriage, her second. As you know, Sandy and producer Dan Willows divorced a year ago. The blushing bride said happily…."

"Awe, it's nice to see those two together, don't you think?" Becky mused as she looked upon the wedding photos of the two entertainers. "They make a cute couple."

"Yeah, sure. They're cute." Harry mumbled and turned back to the foggy mirror, not leading on to Rebecca just how taken aback he was. He always felt that way when he looked at Sandy Willows. She gave him the chills. She was intimidatingly beautiful, sure, but there was something else to her that made him uncomfortable. It was in her manners, the way she walked, that smile, and oh God, those eyes… There was something familiar about them…

Harry was shaken from his wonderings by his son, who had just burst into the room, complaining that Cecilia had shoved a Fizzing Whizbee up her nose, and now had it stuck.


	11. Never Again, Again

_**CHAPTER ELEVEN: NEVER AGAIN, AGAIN**_

Three years later (June 2008)

Sandy looked down at her friend's babies sleeping with the moonlight falling across their faces. They had fallen asleep on the couch. Brad had had to convince her to leave them there. She sat down on the table, fully aware that in England, her babies were probably waking in up to another glorious day with their dad. That would make Charlie almost 9, and meant that Sandy had not seen Harry, Charlie, and Cecilia in 7 and a half years. She sat there looking at the four children . They were absolutely beautiful, and they made her miss her babies. Sandy loved Brad dearly, with a love that was fierce and strong, and with the same passion and enthusiasm she had loved only one other man with in her 28 years. She turned to face the moon as it came out from behind the clouds and bathed the room in a soft cornflower blue, humming a few chords of a fellow musician's old song.

"Does that blue moon ever shine on you? I wanna hold you close to me, feel just like it used to be, and baby, if you feel like I do, you can come to me. Does that blue moon ever shine on you?"

There wasn't a day that had gone by since they were eleven that she hadn't thought of him, not a day she hadn't missed her husband when he wasn't with her in…

"Oh, God, it's been seventeen years."

_What a way to make yourself feel ancient, Hermione. _She thought to herself, and then stopped dead in her tracks. She had stopped calling herself Hermione shortly after she had married Dan. The very thought of the relapse had startled her.

She walked to the lamp on the couch-side table to switch it off. Just as she did, a long streak of thin silver hair caught a glimpse of the moonlight outside and made her fall to her knees, paralyzed and terrified.

The front door slammed open, but made no noise at all. Sandy looked at the young boy and his three younger sisters sleeping peacefully on the couch, thankful that they would not witness this.

The tall man looked through his half moon spectacles at the woman crouching on the floor, and smiled a genuine smile he hadn't worn on his face in quite some time. He could see the rage flicker through her eyes, shining up at him in the shadows of the night.

"Hello, Mrs. Potter."

"Mrs. Potter's dead, and you killed her seven years ago."

"She's still very much alive, Hermione. You moments ago took on her persona again, and although it's been awhile, you still are Hermione Potter, and you know it."

"What do you want? I will never let you tear me up and spit me out. If you have come here to take me, think again. I won't do it."

"I have indeed come to take you away, but this time I will allow you to return if you so choose."

And with that, he had bound and gagged her, sorry he had to be rough with her, but a witch of her skill level could wiggle out of the traveling spell he'd placed on her and go to any destination she chose. He anticipated the destination to be right back to where she'd just left. She vanished from his sight, on her way to a goal only he knew the location of.


	12. She Was

_**CHAPTER TWELVE: SHE WAS**_

Hermione hit a hardwood floor in a very dark room. There were embers burning on the hearth, but that was the only thing she could see.

A door opened behind her, and a short, bald, ugly and old creature was bustling around her with a feather duster in his hand, muttering horrendous swear words under his breath.

"Mudblood girl is back, beseeching the house of my mistress. Filthy. She actually reproduced with that other lewd, no-good…"

"Nice to know nothing's changed, Kreature." Hermione said, menace dripping from her voice. Her ties disappeared. She got to her feet, feeling nothing of the sympathy she used to feel for the house elf. She had not seen this wretched nuisance since before Harry admitted to her, with absolute revulsion in his voice and eyes, that Kreature had played a big part in Sirius's death. She had stopped feeling so compassionate when Harry had mentioned how Kreature had laughed as he relayed the story to Dumbledore, and now understood just why Harry wanted to see the elf suffer a painful death. However, she stopped herself from crossing the floor and doing what Harry had obviously yet to accomplish, and instead sat herself down in the moth-eaten chair that she had found by the light the elf had lit.

She felt like she had sat there for hours, but in reality, it was only a half hour or so before the fire on the hearth burst into full life and a dark, lanky figure unfolded from the flames.

"I have awoken your husband and told him where you were and explained to him what and who you were. He has been put into a deep slumber, and when you need, I will awake him, and let you explain to him further what all of this means. Please, sit." Dumbledore, with a no-nonsense look in his eyes, told the shaken Hermione.

"You do realize that you could have just ruined my life, once again. I love that man, and you have gone and blown it for no good reason." Hermione said, with heat and fury radiating around her.

"That's up to the two of you to work out. I am sorry, but it's time for you to come back. Now, nobody yet knows that you still walk the earth, but they will soon enough. Harry and your children are still well, and I know have missed you greatly. Your daughter seems to take after her mother in plenty of ways. She is exceptionally bright, and risky, if I do say so myself, talented, beautiful, and at the very center of Harry's heart of hearts. Charlie, unfortunately, was forced to grow quickly, but has turned out to be a remarkable, very intelligent, compassionate, and diligent young man. They have good genes, and Harry has done well in teaching them to play to their strengths. You should be proud."

Hermione didn't say anything, because, in order to tell him just how proud she was, she would have to say something nice to the old man, something she really did not want to do at the moment. So instead she just sat, staring, and waited for him to continue.

"Before I tell you why I decided to bring you back tonight, let me go get an old friend of yours. Excuse me for a moment." Dumbledore said and glided out of the room.

Hermione felt sick. She knew that Dumbledore would return with Harry following. She wasn't ready to see him again. Not just yet.

But instead Dumbledore returned with none other than Remus Lupin in tow. Remus laid eyes on her and stopped frozen in his footsteps.

It simply wasn't possible. There was no way it could be her. Dumbledore had broken the news that she had died years ago. Not Hermione. Scenes of the following days after she had died flashed through his mind. Dumbledore crying as he told them what had happened to her. He remembered how Harry had collapsed in grief, and how Charlie started wailing, although Remus had doubted that he knew what was going on and was just crying because his daddy was. Remus remembered feeling like he had been sucker punched in the stomach. Hermione had been a beautiful person, someone who had stood up to and for him on countless occasions. She was one of the most incredible women he had ever had the pleasure of knowing, even if she was so young. He had not realized before hand that he had loved her, and it took losing her to make him realize how much he not only loved her, but Harry, and her children, and others as well. And now, here she was, fully grown, looking sad and confused, but still gorgeous and smart. This plainly could not be happening.

"Do I know you?" Remus questioned the woman.

Hermione had been standing in shock at seeing his face after so many years. She had missed him so much. He had been like an uncle to her, and he was back in front of her. She had time only to say his name before she had crossed to him and embraced him intensely.

Remus kissed that girl any place his lips could reach. "God, I missed you. I missed you so much." he murmured as he kissed her face and smelled her shampoo. It was delightful to have her back, this girl who's life was about to change dramatically.

Dumbledore cleared his throat to get Remus and Hermione's attention. He didn't know that Remus and Hermione had missed each other so much. But that was peanuts at the moment. "I think…. It's time to reintroduce Hermione to everyone." he said softly.

Hermione and Remus looked at each other, Hermione going limp in his arms. Remus could feel that she was nervous. "Let's go." he said to her.

The babble was getting increasingly louder, everyone in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place talking and speculating why Dumbledore, who hadn't been seen for days, had just slipped through the kitchen door, walked to Remus, whispered something, and both men hurried out of the kitchen.

Little did they know.

_Meanwhile..._

The chatter stopped as the door reopened. Dumbledore, Remus, and a dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty of a woman stood there. The woman looked ready to break down and cry. Remus had his arm around her, as if to give her confidence and comfort.

A tear dropping would have made more noise than there was in the kitchen. Jaws fell to the floor and minds were racing, all wondering the same thing. God, she looked familiar.

Ronald Weasley stood and took a few hesitant steps toward her. He knew that face, that stance she took.

The words "Hi Ron" came from those flawlessly formed lips of hers, and Ron lost it. She was in his arms before either knew what had happened.

When they broke apart the hug, everyone was still staring at them.

"Well, don't everyone talk at once." Ron remarked.

Finally someone spoke up. "Who is she, Ron?" Ginny Banks-Weasley asked.

Ron looked at them all incredulously. "What do you mean, who is that? Are you crazy?"

Shock in her manners, Mrs. Weasley finally spoke. She looked on the verge of hysteria as she said, "Hermione. Mrs. Hermione Potter."

"Nuh-unh" Ginny said. "She's dead, Mom. You know that."

"No, she's not. She never was dead. That was all my doing." Dumbledore interjected.

"What do you mean, 'all your doing'?" Mr. Weasley asked as he was pushed aside in his wife's hurry to get to Hermione.

"Please, if you will be silent and listen, I will tell you. I'm awfully sorry that I did make all of you suffer Hermione's lose, but in time, I hope you will see that it was best."

With interruption from Hermione, Dumbledore told them the story of just what had happened in the last seven years.

Harry rapped on the door to Grimmauld Place with Charlie and Cecilia close behind him.

"God, Dad, why do we have to come here? It's so…pretty!" Cecilia exclaimed, only after receiving a shooting glare from Charlie.

'Why'd you have to do that?" she questioned him behind their father's back.

"Because, Cecilia," Charlie said with obvious irritation in his voice, "You know Dad doesn't like coming here either. Don't make it worse for him."

"Why? Is he still hung up on Sirius dying? It's been 12 years since then!" she shot back at her brother.

"Oh, I dare you to say that within ear shot of Dad, see how he takes it." said Charlie, with a sarcastic tone.

Harry turned and glared at his son and daughter. "Oh yes, please do."

Cecilia would have liked very much at the moment to curl up in her shoe. She hadn't wanted her father to hear that, and she knew now that she would regret saying it forever. She knew how much those words could sting.

What Harry would not - could not - ever tell his baby girl was that, yes, those words had hurt, but she was right. He was still hung up on Sirius. Sirius had been much more than a godfather to him. Remus had filled in nicely, but there was no way he could ever actually be Sirius, and Harry was grateful that he didn't try. CeCe was right. It was time to swallow those feelings of resentment toward that whole ordeal. It would do him no good to hold on to them.

The door to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, opened slowly and an aging house-elf peered out into the night. When he spotted Harry and his children, a slow smile spread across the elf's face. He knew what a shock Harry was in for, and how much pain it would cause him. He couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he figured out that his dead wife wasn't actually dead. Oh, how he would love the feelings of hate, disappointment and rage that would come to Harry Potter's face. He allowed the three of them into the house and followed close behind Harry into the kitchen, where he was sure hell was about to freeze over.


	13. The Impossible

_**A/N: Hi Everyone! Junsui asked me a really good question. So you're confused as to why Hermione remarried. I have no idea whether it was legal or not, but I just went with the idea that if Hermione was legally considered dead (and she was), then her marriage to Harry was dissolved when she died, leaving him free to be married again, and her, too, under her new alias, which had never been married in public America. Does that help? And as you'll see in later chapters, Hermione really can't stop herself from falling in love. She's too much of a love force to stop herself. I hope that clears everything up for you, Junsui! Thanks for reading! Love from Turice**_

_**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE IMPOSSIBLE**_

Harry wasn't looking up as he walked into the kitchen, so the first thing he noticed was that suddenly, everyone was silent. He looked up from his feet and received the shock of his life. Hermione was standing there, not three feet away from him, looking as awestruck and scared as he did. Former husband and wife eyed each other. Harry's throat went from tight at CeCe's words to tighter at seeing his former wife after so long. She was supposed to be dead. He knew that, but he also knew that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him and he wasn't hallucinating. She was here, back close to him, and all he could think was, "Why?"

Dumbledore appeared at Harry's side, and put an arm around him to stop him from falling, Remus crossed the floor to do the same to Hermione, who had lost all color in her face. The two carried Harry and Hermione into a room just opposite the kitchen and sat them on separate couches. Dumbledore then hurried out of the room and returned a minute later, with something in his hand, which Harry recognized as a goblet, much like the goblet of fire used in the triwizard tournament. Indeed, this one had purple flames in it.

Dumbledore set the goblet on the coffee table between Harry and Hermione, seated himself at Hermione's side, and motioned for Remus to join Harry on the other couch.

"I suppose I owe the two of you an apology," Dumbledore said, looking between Harry and Hermione. Harry had his face in his hands and Hermione was staring at a brick on the wall. "I didn't intend on the two of you meeting like this. I was hoping to reintroduce you in a place where one would not see the reaction on the other's face, and you would each have time to let it sink in what was going on. Harry, I owe you an explanation as to what Hermione is doing here after all these years. But I can't do it at the moment. I have something else that must be seen to right now, and that involves all three of you. Hermione,"

She turned to look him square in the eye with a gaze filled with frost. "Yes?"

"You are Sirius' daughter." he said quickly.

He let the news register in her head and waited until she decided whether she believed it or not. Her face, which was already pale, turned snow white. "That can't be. Sirius wasn't my dad…" she trailed off.

"He was." It was Remus who spoke this time. "Hermione, he was your dad. Really," he said when she looked at him, incredulity in her sad eyes. She propped her head up on her elbow and sat there, not wanting to talk.

"I'm sorry to spring this on you so out of the blue, but you had to know before we go on. This," he gestured to the goblet, "is Sirius's will. The three of you are in it. Sirius will explain everything to you all. Everything he ever wanted you to know, you will know now." And with that, Albus stuck the tip of his wand into the silvery substance, muttered an incantation no one but he had heard. A swirling image of Sirius appeared to rise through the liquid.

Sirius let his feet appear in the substance, stepped out of it, drew himself to his full height, smiled around at them all, with his eyes landing on Hermione.

"Hey," he said gently.

Hermione tried to respond, but all she could manage was a strangled "hi".

Sirius took a deep breath and let it all wash over him. It was obvious, by the way she was looking at him, that she already knew the news. Well, part of it. His tongue seemed to feel as if it had swollen twice its normal size. This was his daughter, this was the only time he would ever be able to talk to her as her dad, and he could not find the words to tell her what he felt. _This bites, _he thought to himself.

"Hon, oh God, this is so much harder than I envisioned it would be. I thought I would just be able to look at you and tell you you were my daughter, tell you I've loved you for years, tell you why I didn't have you, and be done with it…" he gave his daughter a sheepish smile, "it just isn't that easy."

She smiled and raised her eyebrows, noting that Sirius looked just as he did twenty-one years ago. His dark hair was still falling into his mischievous eyes. He was still a shadow of the knockout he had once been.

"Why didn't I know, Dad?" she questioned.

That one word, _Dad, _hit him where it hurt. That was the first time she'd ever called him by the name he wanted her to.

"Hermione," he paused. _Damn, why can't I breathe? _"I wanted you to know. God, I wanted you to know so bad. I wanted you to be there, living with me, knowing I was your father, calling me such. I wanted to have you there, where you were my responsibility, and I could take care of you. But by the time I had found you again, you were comfortable with someone else, and I couldn't take you, no matter how bad I wanted to."

"What do you mean, 'by the time you found me again'?"

"I lost track of you when I went to Azkaban. I got to hold you for the last time as they were leading me to the cell. I didn't know it would be our last time, but it was. Your mother came to me a few days later and told me that you had been adopted by a childless Muggle couple. She had no idea where you were, but was confident you were okay. She had panicked and was leaving the country. I never saw her, or you, again. Naturally, I was furious. I wanted you. So bad did I want you. But I couldn't try and find you, and I thought I'd lost you for good. Until that night when you were thirteen. I knew you by sight, as did Moony the first time he saw you."

Hermione looked down to where her hand was clasped, and was startled to realize that Remus had moved to sit next to her. She squeezed his hand and smiled.

Remus started, "I had to sit and take a breather the first time I saw you, when I first saw you on the train, that night with the dementor, remember? I knew who you were, instantly, and I was shocked to see you, there, with Harry and your cousin,"

"Ron," Hermione whispered in awe.

"Yeah. It was all too perfect. You and Harry were together, best friends, and none of it by the doing of your parents. Harry didn't know about his dad's best friend, who happened to be your father, and you didn't know your dad. I could not believe that the two of you were together. I may have been pissed at your dad at the moment for what I thought he did to Harry's dad. But neither of you knew, I didn't want you two to know for risk of ruining your friendship, and I couldn't hold you to something you had never known. You didn't let me down. Sometimes you were so much like him, he showed through you so strongly, that you made me laugh. I kept as close to you and Harry as professionally and morally possible that year. I missed your fathers, the way they would make me laugh doing so many of the things you three were doing. I watched you both. Learning who all of you were, because, although I no longer had James and didn't know Sirius, you two were spitting images and I felt I had a responsibility to take care of you. When I found out Sirius was innocent," Remus stopped, reminiscing, chuckled, and went on, "when I found out he was innocent, I almost had to tell you. But you were gone, along with Harry and Ron. And when I saw Sirius in the Shack, you right behind him, I knew he knew who you were, and it was killing him to have you there. Oh, he knew. I guess that's a parent thing, because he hadn't asked your name or anything. He just knew, and he was as shocked as I was to see you with Harry. Do you remember the first time you spoke to him?"

"Yes," Hermione answered, thinking back to when she had asked Sirius about how he knew Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew.

"Do you remember the look he gave you? You were smart, and right then he was a proud papa, you were thinking it all through, you were smart, and you were his. But you had called him 'Mr. Black'. I knew when he winced that that had stung him. But he shook it all off, and answered you. He told me later that had hurt, and he was shaken to see you after all those years. He had been looking for you, and you had fallen into his lap. He asked me if I knew who you had become, how you were doing, whether I thought you were living okay or not, where you were when you weren't at Hogwarts. Then you returned to school in July to marry Harry, and Sirius was thrilled. Except he couldn't play your dad that day. He had to be Harry's. Although he loved Harry and was honored to take James's place, he wanted to walk his own daughter down the aisle. So he watched me walk you down the aisle, and smiled. That was all he could do. You were marrying the one person he'd ever trust you with, always wanted you with, and you had done it on your own. He was so happy. He almost blew his cover when you were pronounced Harry's wife. He hugged you first while he was crying. He loved you then, always had. He wanted to have both of you with him. But he would never tear you from where you were. Harry was safe with his aunt, and you were happy with your mum and dad. He didn't mention to you who was your real father and mother, and let you come around with Harry. He never led on to you that you were more to him than his goddaughter-in-law."

"When you were around, Hermione, I just watched you, trying to remember that you were there for Harry, and not me. You would give me hugs and kisses. That hurt because they were, to me, empty compared to what they could have been. You were my little girl, you were in my arms, hugging and kissing me. But not for who I really was, just who you thought I was. I watched you go back to your Muggle family every time you left, even met them a couple of times, and did nothing to show you how much you meant to me. I never tried to get you to live with me, because they could give you so much that I couldn't. I watched you grow from afar, not always knowing where you were, how you were, and torturing myself because you were out there, you were mine, I wanted you to know, and couldn't do anything about it." Sirius stopped, looked her in her teary eyes, and said, "That was the worst pain I have ever felt."

Hermione knew what he meant. Right now, her own two children were within fifty feet of her, and they didn't know. She loved them, she wanted them, and they had no idea. He was right. That was one of the worst pains she had ever felt.

"There's one more thing I have to tell you Hermione. I found this out that first summer we were all back at Grimmauld for the Order. Not only are you my daughter, but you're Tom Riddle's granddaughter."

Nothing but silence greeted Sirius's last words. Every person's mouth was wide open.

"Sirius, are you certain of this? You're Tom's son?" Dumbledore looked flabbergasted.

"Yes. My mother wanted me to have his blood. I'm guessing she didn't know he was half-blood."

"Oh, Hermione, this is great for you. This is great for you and your children." Dumbledore said with excitement in his voice.

"Why?" Hermione wondered.

"Because, he personally cannot hurt his children, his children's children, or his great grandchildren. If he tries to use magic maliciously on any of you, it will hurt him and leave you unharmed because you all are too closely related. Physically, you are vulnerable. But magically, you're fine."

"But then why can he harm his parents?" Harry questioned.

"Children hurting parents is different. Children hurting grandparents is different."

"So are you saying that Voldemort is vulnerable to Hermione, but she isn't to him?" Remus asked.

"Yes. Although she can't kill him, because only Harry can do that, she can hurt him. She's his grandchild. Her children can do the same. But he cannot use magic on them."

"Brilliant" Hermione muttered, annoyed, into her free hand. "Bloody brilliant."

"Sirius, who gets what?" Dumbledore prompted.

"Oh, right. That's what I'm supposed to be doing. Right. Harry and Hermione, I am sure you can get along. The two of you split the house and the contents. Remus gets some, too. Remus, you also get the bank account. Dumbledore, you have my utmost appreciation for all you've done for me over the years, for protecting me, believing me, and caring. Thanks."

Remus had been struck dumb. This grant from his friend would help him live in between jobs when he needed it. Bills and meals weren't going to worry him anymore. Thanks to his best friend.

"Moony, man, don't start on me now." Sirius gave him a glowing smile when he looked up.

"Thanks, Sirius." Moony smiled back.

"We've had our times, you know that. We almost got ourselves killed more than once, but we had fun, didn't we? I love you like a brother, Moony." Sirius said.

"Love you too Padfoot." Moony answered.

"I have a special message from James and Lily to each of you, too. Moony, James and Lily say hi."

Remus waved.

"Dumbledore, James and Lily say hi, and thanks for everything."

Dumbledore smiled and said "They're very welcome."

"Hermione, James and Lily say hi to their goddaughter and daughter in law. They are happy that you married their son and had children with him."

"How did they know that?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"We can see all of you anytime we want. We know Harry and Hermione had two kids. We know she had to leave when she was twenty, we know where she went, we know you haven't said a word to each other, still yet, in seven years. We see it all." Sirius said simply.

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other and looked away quickly when their eyes met. Sirius laughed. "You two will work it out. You always have." and smiled on the pair of them.

"Harry, I'm glad you found out who I really was before you decided to attempt to kill me."

Harry smiled and chuckled to himself.

"I'm glad too that I got to spend the time with you that I did. You are sick of hearing this by now, but you are so much like James. Even still, you are a lot like him. James, Lily, and I all love you."

"I love all of you, too."

With that, Sirius turned back to his daughter. This was going to be the last time he ever talked to her.

"Hon, I love you. I always have. To say I am proud of you is cutting it short. I just wanted you to know. I love you. I love you so much." He smiled tearfully at his daughter. "You're my daughter. My one and only daughter. I have never done more right than I did with you. I love you." He was starting to choke up a little more than his pride allowed.

She was, too. "I love you, too, Dad."

And with that, Sirius was gone, going with contentment at knowing that his daughter knew she was his girl, and the people he loved knew he loved them, leaving all who saw him that night in awe.


	14. I'm Moving On

_**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: I'M MOVING ON**_

Dumbledore motioned for Remus to join him outside, leaving Harry and Hermione inside the room, stewing in their own thoughts.

_This is torture, _Harry thought. _I shouldn't be here. What the hell is she doing here? _He was shocked to see his former wife after so long.

Hermione was suffering, too. The silence was killing her.

"Why don't we go upstairs and see what we could find?" she suggested quietly.

"No, Hermione, let's not." Harry got to his feet and started to pace. "We need to talk."

_Still sexy as ever, _Hermione realized as he stood before her. His dark hair was falling into his troubled eyes, his lean body was stiff, and his shoulders were hunched as he tried desperately not to look at her.

"About…" Hermione pressed.

"What the hell happened to you? One day, you were here with me, kissing, laughing, playing with our kids, making love. And the next there's someone at my door telling me my wife is dead! I believe it, mourn you, thinking I'd lost you forever, only to come here seven years later to see you in the kitchen, talking to everyone, as if you had been doing it every day of your life, which was supposed to have ended suddenly a long time ago. Where the hell did you go? Why did you leave me?" He stopped pacing long enough to send her a look, full of years of hurt. Her heart broke.

"Harry, I didn't want to leave. I wanted to be here with you, kissing, laughing, playing with our kids, making love. Really, I did. But I didn't get a choice. I was told that I was Ol' Voldy's next murder attempt, that he was coming after me to get at you. I tried to stay. I tried to say I wanted to face him. I loved you and the kids, and I wanted to stay. I was going to die, Harry! I did it to save myself so I could be around for you in the long run. I left, I waited in Texas for the all clear signal, saying I could come home. But it never came. Years went by, and I heard no word from anybody. It took me forever before I realized I wasn't going back. I went on with my life. I got myself a career I liked, I got married, I divorced, and I got married again. I'm perfectly happy being Brad's wife, and I love my career. I love performing, and I love my life there. Harry, I'm sorry, but I couldn't just sit there, waiting for a ship that would never come in. What did you expect me to do?"

Harry stopped and looked at her. _You really don't love me anymore, do you? You have totally forgotten about me,_ he thought bitterly.

"What did you say your husband's name was?" Harry asked, suddenly understanding why a certain American pop star had always given him butterflies.

"Brad. Brad…"

"Mason." Harry supplied.

"How did you know that?"

"We get American entertainment news over here. I saw Sandy Willows married Brad Mason on TV years ago. I always looked at her and got goose bumps for unknown reasons. Now I know why. It was my own wife I was looking at, married to another man." A look of extreme pain came through his eyes.

"Hermione, did you ever even think about us? What you and I had? Did you ever see me when you were in bed with another man? Did you ever think of me?"

"Yes. I thought of you, a lot of the time feeling incredibly guilty. I saw you when I was with another man. I thought of you a lot. And I missed you. I wanted to know how you were doing, how Charlie and CeCe were doing. I was doing that when Dumbledore came to get me tonight. I missed you Harry. It took me a long time before I could kiss and make love without feeling guilty."

Harry walked over to the window, put his hand high up on the trimming, and stood there looking out. He was sad, Hermione could tell. It was in his body language. It hit her that Hermione had never really stopped loving him, she had simply forgotten that fact. He was in a suit, his white shirt untucked, his jacket open and ruffled, his tie loosened. The same instincts she had had when she was a teenager came over her again. She wanted to cross the room to him, slip her arms around his still impossibly sexy body, and relieve him of the cares he harbored. But that action was reserved for the pleasure of his wife, something she no longer was.

"You know," Harry said in a low voice, "I never did stop loving you. Never. I could have the most gorgeous woman in the world next to me in bed, and quite often I thought I did, and we'd be having one hell of a night, until I'd be reminded of you, then her kisses and her fingers meant nothing to me. They weren't affectionate and caring. There was no love in her kisses. Nothing. She, no matter who she might have been, wasn't you, and therefore wasn't good enough. She was just some faceless person to me. You are," he turned back to Hermione, "the only, _one_ and _only_, woman I have ever loved. I see now that love seems to have been wasted."

He crossed the room to her, felt her soften as he put his hands on her shoulders. He crushed his mouth to hers, letting all of his anger, fear, resentment, and hurt pour into the kiss. For what he thought would be the last time ever, he put his arms around her, deepening the kiss, trying to make sure that the risk he was taking by kissing her was well worth it. He kissed her until she was weak and breathless in his arms. He let her go, still savoring her taste, and said, "I hope to hell that keeps you up at night."

He turned his back to her, walked to the door, pulled it open, and called for his kids. She let him leave, didn't bother trying to stop him. He did not yet know how true his parting words would become.


	15. See If I Care

_**A/N: Hey everybody! I just have to say, I love you all! Really! I'm SO glad you're enjoying the story enough to read this far! And thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it! Now, to comment on a few certain reviews!**_

_**Junsui: LOL, I loved your review! Of course it's fixable! I'm glad I was able to clear things up for you! Thanks so much for reading and for reviewing!**_

_**harrison potter: Thanks so much for your thoughts! I'm glad you're actually thinking about the characters' feelings! Thanks! And remember, in the end, its really her that needs him!**_

_**Astronaut: You're so sweet! Thanks, I can't tell you how happy I am you're thanking me for my writing! Thank You!**_

_**JsBurnz: I'm so glad you like it! I liked your review, so thanks! **_

_**Leenjte: Thanks to you for reading and reviewing so often! I love seeing that you keep reviewing!**_

_**CHAPTER FIFTEEN: SEE IF I CARE**_

Harry walked in silence, his kids following along hurriedly behind him. He had no idea how to break the news to them. Lucky for him, the two kids took care of it.

"Dad," Cecilia said softly from behind him, "we know already. Will you talk to us?"

Harry stopped and took a deep breath before turning and facing the mirror image of the woman he had just left standing speechless. He spun on his heels to look his son and daughter in the eye, and swallowed.

"You know what?" He asked in a deeper-than-usual voice.

"About that woman being Mom, and about her being Voldemort's granddaughter." Charlie said while looking at the ground.

"Do you now?" Harry had shoved his hands in his pockets and was rocking back and forth on the heels of his feet. "How do you know?"

"Fred and George never stop, you know." CeCe explained, a small smile playing on the corners of her lips. Harry laughed. He'd take care of those two later.

"Any questions?"

"Yeah," Charlie piped up. "Who was the most gorgeous woman in the world?" CeCe punched him as Harry continued walking, laughing at full volume into the night.

Hermione returned home to find Brad awake at the kitchen table, waiting for her.

"Honey, where have you been?" Brad was on his feet and her in his arms, stroking her hair. He kissed her once, and when she hesitated, he backed off.

"Honey, what happened?" he asked her gently.

She couldn't look him in the eye. Not when she had enjoyed kissing Harry so much. He had, with the power of a little kiss, stirred up emotions she had buried years ago. Harry. That was all she could think.

"Brad, can we talk? I have a lot to explain to you." she asked quietly.

"Yeah, babe, in here," and he pulled her into a sitting room right outside the kitchen.

Her throat was dry. He was still using his pet names on her. She was sure, that in ten minutes' time, he would never have the desire to use one again.

"We have to go to London." she said.

"What? Why?" Brad questioned.

"Didn't Dumbledore tell you anything?"

"No. He just said he took you and then put me back to sleep. I woke up about five minutes ago, scared to death!"

"I'm a witch. I'm originally from Britain, I'm here because there was a terrible wizard after me. I took on the identity of a recently deceased woman seven years ago, and have been living as her since then. My name's Hermione Potter, no, Granger, no, Black… ah hell, I can't decide." she explained.

Brad kicked the nearest chair. "What are you talking about?" he asked in disbelief. "A witch? What, are you going to take me to London, where you and the rest of your magic friends can chant around me while boiling my head in acid?"

"No, Brad, I have no idea why I would boil your head in acid. But I would like it if you came to London to meet my family."

"What family? You have another family? Who?"

"Well, yes, I have another family. You have to meet my godfather, a few of my very good friends. You'll also meet my former husband, and, well, Brad, you'll meet my kids."

"What kids?"

"The kids I had with Harry, my former husband."

"You had kids out there all this time, and you never told me. Oh my God."

"Will you come with me?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Yes, Brad, you have a choice." Hermione said irritably.

"Fine, I'll go." Brad grumbled.

"Fine."

Hermione wondered into the kitchen at Grimmauld two hours after she had left the last time, this time with her husband in her wake. Mrs. Weasley was bustling around making breakfast for the few early risers who were sitting at the large banquet table, which included Remus Lupin, a blond man Hermione had never met, and a middle-aged, very attractive witch with violently purple hair.

"Hello, Tonks! I hear we're cousins now."

"Wotcher, Hermione! Good to see you! It's been awhile!" Tonks got up from where she had been talking, laughing, and almost _flirting _with Remus and hugged Hermione. "Cousins, oh I know! Remus was just telling me about last night!" She gestured back at Remus. Hermione saw their eyes meet, and a ghost of a smile appear on her dad's old friend's lips. Ha, Remus Lupin, her dad's best friend, and Nymphadora Tonks, her dad's cousin. An unlikely, but seemingly very compatible pair, even if they didn't know it yet.

"Hello, Hermione." Remus had gotten up to give her a hug as well. He looked past her to see the man accompanying her. He looked at her and asked the unspoken question on all of their minds. _Is he yours?_

"Everybody," Hermione called, "I'd like you all to meet my husband, Brad." Remus nodded and moved to shake Brad's hand. Brad, Hermione noticed, seemed reluctant to shake Remus's hand, a gesture Hermione didn't like.

Remus noticed, too. Considering the chances were small that Brad knew already that Remus was used to being shunned by the Wizarding world in general, Remus took Brad's display of unwillingness to mean that he didn't seem to like being here, in the company of people he thought were crazy and possibly dangerous. He shook his hand anyway as Hermione introduced everybody to her husband.

"This is Molly Weasley, who may as well have been my mother, as well as my friend Ron's. This is Tonks, my second cousin once removed, and Remus Lupin, my dad's best friend." She glanced over at the blond wizard who still sat at the table. "Um, I would introduce you, but I'm not sure who you are myself." She grinned, embarrassed.

"Oh, Dear! This is Ginny's husband, Michael." Molly explained.

"Corner?"

"No, Banks. They've been married for…"

How long Ginny and Michael had been married, Hermione didn't know, for just as Molly was about to say, the door to the kitchen burst open and two tornadoes came spinning into the room. The tops of them were brilliantly orange.

The whirlwinds came and ran into Michael's arms, where he calmed the storm. A little girl, hardly more than six, was squirming away from her father's kisses, while her three-year-old brother was laughing along with them.

"Hermione," Ginny said from behind, "these are my two monsters and my husband." She walked over to where her family sat and picked up the little girl, who was now enjoying watching her brother get covered in their dad's affection. "These two buttheads are formally known as Amelia and Brian, but can also be called Goober and Gommer." She smiled at her kids, then at Hermione, and back at her husband with fondness, "This is Michael, as you now."

"Brad." Hermione pointed. She also noticed how Brad couldn't take his eyes off of her long-time friend. She was not impressed.

Ginny, thankfully, didn't seem to realize that her friend's husband was staring at her. She walked over to her mother and asked where her brothers were.

"Oh, Fred and George are still asleep, and will be for a while judging by how much fire whiskey they had last night. Honestly, I don't know why they never married. Bill left earlier for work, Fleur's up with their kids, and Ron is, well, I don't know where Ron is, to be truthful." Mrs. Weasley said without looking up at her daughter.

"He'll be around here soon enough. And his kids are still in bed, I take it?"

"I'd suppose, I better go wake them soon."

"Ron's got three boys." Ginny said to Hermione

"And good for him, too! He is, at least, now getting a taste of the hell he and his brothers put me through!" Mrs. Weasley said, trying to sound upset, but not convincing anyone.

Hermione smiled. "Where's Harry?" She tried to ask casually.

They heard a harsh rap on the door.

"That'd be him." Molly hustled out of the kitchen to greet him.

Molly returned with Harry, Charlie, and Cecilia behind her moments later.

Harry took one look at Brad and decided he didn't deserve Hermione. Brad didn't justify having Hermione be his wife. He shouldn't be able to touch her, to be with her. He could never love her the way Harry did. He wasn't supporting her now, when Harry knew she would have liked to have somebody next to her. He was just standing back, looking exasperated. Harry realized that Hermione wanted her husband at her side socializing with everybody. Brad was letting her down, something, that if Harry had the power, would never happen, if she was his wife.

Hermione turned around to see him and the kids. She walked to Brad's side, and looked Harry dead in the eye as she said, "Brad, I'd like you to meet my former husband, Harry, and my son and daughter, Charlie and Cecilia. Harry, I'd like you to meet my husband, Brad."

Harry and Hermione's eyes were still locked as Harry reached to shake Brad's hand. He observed that the feeling he got from Brad was distance. _What are you doing here? You don't want to be with her, so leave, and I can have her back. Prick._ Harry thought with indignation.

Michael, who had noticed Brad's eyes on his wife, sauntered over to engage him in conversation to distract his eyes. Hermione's kids were bumming scraps from the breakfast Molly was making, and Ginny and her kids were rolling on the floor. That left Harry and Hermione standing next to each other awkwardly. Harry turned and eyed Hermione. He shifted closer to her and began to whisper in her ear, to talk to her as well as to be able to breathe her feminine scent for a precious time.

"So, you're happy with him?" He questioned sarcastically.

"Yes. I am happier with him than I have been with anybody. Ever." She looked Harry in the eye as she said it. It was a mistake on her part. Even after so many years apart, Harry could still read her like the books she so often shoved her face into. She wasn't kidding anybody. She was furious at the way her eyes showed her true emotions, betraying her words.

"You do realize that he has quite an imagination, and at the moment, Ginny is in the middle of his fantasies." Harry told her.

"Shut up, Harry. You're just jealous." Hermione snapped. He smiled. Nope, she hadn't changed a bit.

"I'm jealous? What do I have to be jealous of? If you like him, well, let's just say, I can't measure up. I have no room to compete." He tried his best to appear hurt, but his eyes were lit with fire. It was his turn for his eyes to tell the truth.

Hermione could not face him. She knew he was right, but he was mocking her! He had no right to mock her. This was her marriage, and none of his business.

"Hermione," she felt his breathe on the base of her neck. She turned as their lips brushed. "Do you really want him?"

"Yes." she replied firmly. "Yes, Harry, I want him." This time her eyes registered with her words.

"You know, Hermione, I promised you I would love you forever. My offer still stands. Anytime you're ready, Babe. I'll be here, waiting ever so patiently for you. I will have you back, eventually."

"Oh, you'll have me back, will you? Well. Let me tell you something, Buster," She placed her hands on his firm chest and pushed until his body was pinned between hers and the wall. "I don't want you back. I promised to love Brad." Both of them knew what she had just said was all a lie.

"The problem with that is, you promised me, too. You've proved it yourself. Promises can be broken." He took her hands off his chest, pulled her a little closer, and stared at her bewildered expression as he kissed each of her fingertips, and then her cheek. "I missed you." he whispered as he walked away to join Molly at the stove.


	16. I Told You So

_**CHAPTER SIXTEEN: I TOLD YOU SO**_

Two weeks later (July 2008)

Hermione had been spending long days in London, visiting with old friends and trying her best to avoid Harry. He hadn't approached her since the morning he had met Brad. They were polite when they were around each other and made light conversation, but otherwise, there was a wall that Hermione had built between them that Harry didn't feel like scaling.

Hermione returned to her home with Brad to find it empty with a note on the kitchen counter. It was unusual for nobody to be home, considering they employed a cook, a maid, and a butler. Hermione walked over to the note, and collapsed in grief at what it said.

_Hermione/Sandy (or whoever you are today)_

_You're not who I thought you were. I want to separate. I've already told the help that I haven't seen you for days, and am about to report you missing. I never want to see you again. Ever. Just go back to London. You have no business near me anymore. You're non-existent in my world now. Good-bye, and don't try hunting me down. You're not going to find me. -Brad_

Hermione burst through the door in her dad's kitchen and ran straight in to Remus Lupin, who caught her, noticed the tears, sat her down, and held her while she sobbed into his shoulder. Molly was next to them almost in the twinkling of an eye, consoling Hermione to the best of her ability. It took the better part of a half-hour for Hermione to be able to overcome the tears and tell Remus and Molly what had happened. She told them about the note, how Brad had said that she no longer existed to him, how she couldn't go back, and how she should have known this was coming. They had been fighting nightly about where she had been going, and how she seemed to be getting attached to England, and her ex-husband. Try as she might, Hermione had not been able to repair the damage, and now it had come to this. Falling into Remus's arms in renewed tears was the last thing she remembered.

_Later that night..._

Hermione woke up in what she assumed was Remus's bedroom. She was still dressed in what she had been wearing when she had come to Grimmauld, and when she looked outside, she discovered it was nighttime.

She got up, ventured downstairs, and found Remus sleeping on the couch with Tonks not far away. _At least the entire world hasn't fallen apart. _She thought as she smiled on the pair. _I wonder if they know they're in love yet or not._

She maneuvered herself for the refrigerator, grabbed the milk, the chocolate, and a glass and set to make herself hot chocolate.

As she sat with the lights off at the old wooden table, she remembered how often she and Brad had done the same thing together so many nights. The memory of all the sweet things that had gone on between the two of them had Hermione shedding more tears. She pushed her cocoa aside, put her head in her arms on the table, and cried.

That's how Harry found her. Sitting, whimpering softly to herself. Remus had told him what had happened over dinner. At first, Harry had felt a surge of triumph, knowing he had been right about the slime ball in the first place, but now, watching the love of his life cry over the loss, he felt her pain, and he was sorry. He crept over to her as silently as he could and pulled the chair nearest to her out to allow him to sit there. He took her hand in his and stroked it, letting her cry as he tried to calm her.

She let him caress her hand for a while before she looked up at him. When she did, she couldn't help herself. She took his hand, stood, and let him embrace her. He kissed her hair, massaged her back, rested his brow against hers. He kissed the tip of her nose, and gently worked his way down, leaving a trail of kisses from her nose to her collarbone and all the way around.

Their lips met again as Harry reached up to run his fingers through Hermione's silky brunette hair. In a moment of ecstasy, Hermione forgot where she was. All she knew was the masculine scent that surrounded her, the warmth of his body against hers, the taste of his lips. His hands were free to roam over her, to explore, to plunder her ruthlessly. But, they stopped.

"No." he said as he pulled her away. "No."

Hermione was totally confused. Two seconds ago, they were all over each other, and then, the same man who said that he would have her with him again had pushed her away.

"We're not going to do this now. You're on the rebound. When we make love, it won't be on the kitchen floor of your father's house, in the middle of the night, when you aren't truly there with me. It won't be me you'll be loving, and I won't waste my energy on something like that. We can't do this. I want to, but we can't. You need to work things out with Brad, make sure he was serious about what he said, before you go with me."

Hermione's eyes had started to tear up at the fresh rejection. "Damn it, woman, don't start crying."

"You started it." she shot back before shoving past him and out of the room.


	17. So Much Like My Dad

_**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: SO MUCH LIKE MY DAD**_

Two months later (September 2008)

Hermione strolled through the corridors of the Ministry of Magic, Harry right next to her. They were on their way to a meeting with the Minister to brief him on the activities of the Order of the Phoenix when the large explosion shook the entire building.

In an instant, the entire office was in disarray. People screamed as a hundred black-cloaked dementors swarmed the floors, stealing souls from the innocent. Harry had shoved Hermione's head down when the explosion happened, but now dragged her back up and with him to where he guessed the explosion had originated: The Department of Mysteries.

When they reached the Department, they saw death everywhere, both innocent people and Death Eaters littered the ground. There were people running every which direction, most dueling fiercely with a Death Eater.

Harry and Hermione joined the battle by chasing a group of Death Eaters down a hall. They had no idea where they were running as they plunged into the large, round room with the rotating doors. They ran in, the room spun, and the Death Eaters ran towards a random door, away from Harry, Hermione, and their fellow pursuing Auror, Nymphadora Tonks.

They all followed their own Death Eater down the corridor, right into the room with the raised dais where they lost Sirius before they began dueling with their Death Eaters, Harry with Lucius Malfoy, Tonks with Antonin Dolohov, and Hermione with Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry was bearing down and finally beating Malfoy when he heard Tonks cry out, and saw Dolohov nearly overcoming on her. With a sweeping move, Harry Stunned Malfoy and rushed off to help Tonks, while looking to make sure that Hermione was holding her own. Hermione was on the dais, dueling with Bellatrix so fiercely spells were colliding in the air and shooting in every which direction, leaving craters where they hit.

Tonks and Harry had a time fighting off Dolohov, and indeed didn't have to hex him to win. Dolohov passed out on them from overexertion and lay at their feet, out cold. Tonks Stunned him, just for the record, and both turned to watch Hermione and Bellatrix to find that they were no longer dueling, but wrestling. Bellatrix's wand lay off the edge of the dais, broken, with Hermione's not far away, thankfully still intact.

As Harry and Tonks were running to where the women fought, Hermione suddenly overthrew Bellatrix. All three watched, horrified, as Bellatrix fell backwards behind the veil.

The veil fluttered just as it had when it had accepted Sirius into it's waiting jaws, then lay still.

Harry rushed forward to pick up Hermione, who was on her knees in front of the archway, crying profusely. He cradled her in his arms while she cried about having taken the life of another person. No matter how he tried to explain to her that it wasn't her fault and Bellatrix's death wasn't something to cry over, Hermione would hear no word of it. All Harry could do was hold her close as she cried.

Suddenly a dazzling radiance burst throughout the room. The ground Harry and Hermione were sitting on began to come apart under them as what seemed to be another archway came through the crack. Tonks ran for the steps leading out of the room, Harry and Hermione trailing not far behind. They didn't get far when a strangely familiar voice called out to them. "Hey! Wait for me!"

The three of them turned and gawked at what they saw. There, in front of them looking as confused as they, was Sirius Black.

Hermione let go of the back of Harry's shirt and approached the shaggy man with vigilance. She scrutinized him, casting spells on him and checking him over to make sure he was indeed her father. Sirius knew better than to move. Even had he wanted to, he couldn't have. He was astonished to be able let her check him over. What he was doing there, he didn't know, but regardless of how he got there, or how long it would last, he was happy to see his daughter, his godson, and his cousin.

Satisfied that the man in front of her was without a doubt Sirius, she stood back, smiling. "How have you been, Dad?"

"Come here, Rotten." he responded, crossing the cracked floor to her, arms wide open. He squeezed her snugly, basking in her warmth, both physically and sentimentally. "Let me look at you." He held her an arm's length away to take in her appearance. Her chocolate-colored hair was long and full, her mocha eyes alert and pleased. She was trim, fit and curvy. Her lips were ample and curled into a gleeful smile. "You look just like your mother, you know that?" He pulled her into an embrace once more.

"She may look like her mum, but she acts just like you. Exactly like you. Every bit of her." Harry said from behind the two of them.

"Hey, Kid." Sirius said as he pulled Harry into the group hug.

"Where ya been, man?" Harry teased.

"I've been in the twilight zone, I think. I don't know what it was, but it was weird. I just kind of floated around for… how long have I been gone?"

"Too long." Tonks finally remembered she had a voice and a pair of legs, and ambled over to join them.

"Tonks!" Sirius roared, releasing Harry and Hermione and running over to hug her.

"Hi Sirius." she managed from her perch high up in his arms.

"What are you doing hitting on my best friend?" He asked her as he replaced her on the floor. There was simulated seriousness written all over his face.

"Wha, Wha, Umm… What are you talking about?" she asked, trying to sound confused.

"You know what I mean. When did you start having a thing for Remus?"

"Excuse me? Tonks and Remus?" Harry blinked, confused, as he asked. "When did that happen?"

"Oh Harry, are you blind? Tonks and Remus have something going on." Hermione said, laughing

"No, it's me that has something going on. I have no idea if he even realizes I have a huge crush on him. He's oblivious to the people that love him…" Tonks grumbled.

"Relax. I'll bet ten galleons that he is fully aware and just scared." Sirius smiled at his cousin as he reassured her.

"We'll see."

"Speaking of Remus, he'll want to know you're back. He missed you." Harry said, grabbed Sirius by the arm, and lead him out of the room.


	18. Really Quick Author's Note!

**Hey Everyone!**

You'll have to forgive me for not updating in a while! Things have been really busy in my life lately... I finished finals testing for the year and am in the process of moving to my sister's for the summer! Give me about three days and I'll have an all new chapter for you! And as always, I REALLY appreciate all of you reading this story and reviewing it! I promise I won't turn into one of those people who starts a story and never finishes it! I hate that! So give me a little time! There's more yet to come! Have a great summer everybody!

**Turice**


	19. Where Do I Fit In The Picture?

A/N: Hey everyone! Whoohoo, finals are over for me and school's out for the summer! I probably bombed on my math exam (I resorted to inka-bink-a-bottle-of-ink to pick some of the answers because innie-Minnie-minie-moe didn't satisfy me!) but hey, I think I did alright! LOL, I'm sorry I kept you waiting so long for this chapter and without further ado.. Let me present to you the next chapter of In This Life I Was Loved By You, entitled Where Do I Fit In The Picture!

_**CHAPTER NINETEEN: WHERE DO I FIT IN THE PICTURE?**_

Harry Potter had lost his tennis shoes. He was running around the house he shared with his children, looking behind every cabinet, in every drawer, and under every bed for them. Hermione, who had spent the night at his house to start making up for the time she had lost with their children, was hustling around the house herself, cleaning up parts of the mini party the four of them had the night before and trying to get her children up and ready. There was a carnival coming to Hogsmeade that day. Harry had heard nothing more than "Daddy, can we go?" since Charlie and CeCe had heard it was coming. Now the day had come and they were still dragging their feet.

"Hermione!" Harry bellowed from his bedroom. "Have you seen my tennis shoes?"

Hermione could see Harry from where she was standing. She could also see the brown fleabag behind him. She didn't have to yell, but she hollered back, "Turn around, Harry!"

Harry twirled on his heel to look at her. She was standing there smirking. At his puzzled look, she pointed down next to his feet. There sat the family dog, Scooby, with a blue and white sneaker protruding from his mouth.

"Scooby! I told you to stop this kind of thing!" He ripped the shoe from the dog to inspect it. The sole was soaked with dog slobber. He stuck his finger to it to see if it was wet enough to release liquid. Discovering it was not, he shrugged his shoulders and slipped it on over his sock. Hermione just watched, laughing.

"Alright Scooby Doo, where's the other one?" He eyed the mutt. Scooby pulled back his upper lip and bared his teeth in what the dog was famous for as a smile before he trotted off to he laundry room and his bed. He emerged a moment later with Harry's other shoe.

"Thank You." Harry said, reaching out to take the sneaker. He performed the same slobber test on the shoe and slipped it on. He grabbed a belt off the footboard of the four poster bed that took up most of the space in his room. As he slipped the belt around his trim waist, he remembered everything that had happened on that bed. When they graduated Hogwarts, Harry and Hermione had asked for the bed. It was a part of their history. It wasn't huge, but it was the bed they first made love in, the bed Harry had shed his only tears for Sirius on, and after Dumbledore agreed to let then have the bed, the bed that both of their children had been conceived on. They had always dreamed of having four children, and at that very moment, Harry was imagining children three and four being created right where their brother and sister were. But in the back of his mind, Harry knew that children three and four might only ever exist in his imagination. The way he was with Hermione was a memory, and the way she wanted things to be in the future was the only truth. He knew. But that didn't stop him from wishing, yearning, praying she would come around to him, let him hold her in the nights, let him be the man to be the father of any children she'd want. Truth was, he missed her. He died a little more inside every time in the past day he'd seen her anywhere near the bed he still considered theirs. She was killing him. There was a phrase that said something along the lines of being 'killed softly'. He couldn't say that's what she was doing. He'd fallen so much in love with her that there was no way he could even stand to be around her without feeling the pain of wanting her. And yet, he was setting himself up for the pain. He'd asked her to accompany him in escorting their children to the carnival, and as he walked out of his bedroom next to her, their children appeared at the end of the hallway in front of them, finally showing their excitement to go have some fun.

"Mom, Dad, could you two move any slower? At the pace you're going, we might make it to the carnival next year! Let's go!" Charlie whined, surging forward to grab each of their hands. The boy walked with a spring in his step, showing off what a natural athlete he was, a lot like his father. Everything about his outward appearance showed he was his father's child, but once you sat down with him, he was as introspective and brilliant as his mother. He could look at people, watch them for a few minutes, and be able to tell you intimate details of their personalities. He could handle work as well as his mother had, as well. But on the Quidditch field, just as his father and grandfather had been, the boy was truly a sight to behold. He was a Seeker on a local children's league, one worthy of being compared to his father. Harry could see the kid's talent, and knew one of these days, possibly when Charlie started at Hogwarts and maybe made the House team, people would start to realize what he knew already: Harry Potter's son was better at Quidditch than he was. Cecilia looked like her mother, but had her father's personality. She had his spitfire wit, his unwavering loyalty, his wry but realistic outlook on life. And yet, she knew what was important in life and could be the most affectionate person one had ever come across. In that aspect, she was her mother through and through. At the moment, she was skipping right passed pulling on her parents and had gone straight to seizing her brother's hand and hauling him along with their mother and father up the hallway.

Harry and Hermione had to run after their children when they reached the carnival gates. The kids were ecstatic as they ran up to the ticket booth. Hermione, in the midst of jogging after them, was marveling. She'd been to many Muggle carnivals, but the magical carnival was so much more entertaining. Stopping when they saw their children were standing in line at the ticket booth, Harry and Hermione stood side by side as Hermione took in her surroundings. Harry laughed as her eyes grew wide. The first thing Hermione saw was the Unicorn Carousel. There were stunningly realistic white unicorns spinning at the perfect speed. A sign posted next to the ride boasted real vintage Firebolts could be ridden instead of the plastic unicorns. Hermione smiled at the memory of the first time she'd ever encountered a Firebolt, and how angry Harry had been when she'd gotten it confiscated after only a few hours of him owning it. But she'd never been afraid of making him furious. There were times she had to, and that was one of them.

"Are we really that old?" Harry said from beside her. "We were thirteen when the Firebolt was made, and now its vintage. How sad is that?" He chuckled.

Hermione was still too amazed to respond; Harry understood. He, too, was always thunderstruck by the carnival. The Unicorn Carousel was just the tip of the iceberg. There was a ride that let people sit in a cart that was suspended and swinging above a fake dragon that blew real flames at the riders as they flew by. The flames were coming entirely to close for the comfort of some. There was one ride that was a humungous snake that slithered around a track, much like a Muggle roller coaster. There was a long line at the Bumper Broomsticks. The broomsticks were suspended above a pit of large pillows. People were falling off the brooms left and right.

Harry and Hermione had followed their children from one amusement ride to the next when Harry got bored. How he got Hermione to agree to ride some of the rides with him was beyond his best daydream, but she did, and she ended up enjoying herself more than she had in a while. They rode the Spider (a mechanical spider on its back on a twirling plate with carts on its feet) until they almost threw up. Charlie and CeCe were standing in line for the Horror House, which housed boggarts, pesky ghosts, and an assortment of the most terrifying creatures known to wizard kind, watching as their parents held each other up from sheer dizziness after their fifth time on the spider.

By the time the children returned from the Horror House, white faced and petrified, they were all ready to instead walk around the carnival, taking in the various vendors booths and oddities attractions. Charlie and CeCe begged to go see the mummified remains of a three-headed-puppy. After some convincing, Harry gave them a sickle each and sent them on their way.

"Dad, aren't you coming? I know you love looking at weird things."

"Baby, I'm an Auror. There's nothing a traveling carnival that is going to phase me. I'll just go over to that bench with your mother and wait for you, alright?" Harry pulled his baby girl into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Go. We'll be right over there when you guys get done."

"Fine, Dad, I'll go." She walked ahead a few feet. "See me, Dad? I'm getting closer to the three-headed-dog without you! Are you totally sure you're not going to come?"

"I've had enough three headed dogs in my lifetime, really." Harry smiled. CeCe eyed him suspiciously. "Really, I have. Go." CeCe huffed and caught up with her brother in line. Harry beamed at his kids and returned to Hermione, who was seated on a bench behind him, her world still spinning, partly from the spider, but mostly from Harry. He flopped down next to her, grinning in a way that strangely reminded Hermione of his lovable mutt Scooby.

"So, what do you think our favorite three headed dog did before he died?" Harry questioned slyly.

"Puppies always come in litters." She countered.

"There can't possibly be more, can there?" He looked slightly worried.

"I guess that's up to you to find out, Mr. Hotshot Auror." Hermione smiled. "We outwitted one at eleven years old. They aren't really that dangerous."

"If you know how to handle them. How Hagrid ever wanted to keep one, I'll never know."

"It's Hagrid we're talking about. That's all that needs to be said." Hermione responded. After that, Harry and Hermione lapsed into silence. Harry would glance over at Hermione every now and then, only to find her staring determinedly ahead. He did this four times before he started to get irritated. Finally, he snapped.

"What's going on, Hermione?" He asked.

Hermione tried to play innocent as she turned to look at him. "Nothing. What do you mean?" Harry gave her one of his famous stare downs, enough to let her know that he wasn't buying the stupid act she was peddling. Hermione shook her head and put it in her hands on her knees. "I don't know, Harry. I just don't know."

"Then answer me this. Where do we go from here?" He challenged.

"Where do you want it to go?"

"You know where I want it to go. I want you home, with me and our children. I want to fall asleep next to you every night after a round of wild lovemaking, and then wake up to you every morning. I want to be able to call you in the middle of the day, just to hear your voice, because it revives me. I want you. Now the question is, what do you want, Hermione?"

"Time. I want all the time in the world to get used to be around you guys. I want a place of my own to stay in London, not far from you. I want us to be friendly enough that we can raise kids together, and time to figure out for myself where I want things to go with us, as a couple. I want time to figure out if I want to be with you or not. Is that too much to ask?"

Harry didn't know hw to answer. Hell yes, it was too much to ask, in terms of him and his feelings. But he knew he was pushing her. Restraint had never been his strong suit, especially when he wanted something so badly. He had never, in all his life, wanted something, somebody, so badly. You can't make a heart love somebody, meaning he couldn't make her love him, not until she was ready to love him again. He knew there was only one answer.

"Of course, it's not too much to ask." He murmured dejectedly, as his heart screamed the completely opposite words. "Asking me to just be friends with you is the equivalent of taking me out and shooting me execution style, but hey, I always have said I'd die for you. We'll take it slow then. You take all the time you need. As always, I'll wait. You are quite the test of my fucking patience, you know that?" He growled angrily at her.

"Harry, wait!" She said as he got up to walk away. He did, looking her square in the eye, waiting for her to say her piece. She approached him and stopped inches from him, keeping his gaze. She sighed. "I am sorry. I am so sorry that I'm hurting you. I don't want to. I care about you, more than I can make you believe at the moment, and I know it." She looked away.

"One of these days, you're gonna love me, just as much as I have always loved and continue to love you. You'll remember everything we had, and everything we could have had together. And then you'll discover that I can't keep going like this. I'm not Superman, as much as everyone thinks I am. This kind of thing is a pain I can't ignore, and it has to stop. Yeah, Hermione, we can be friends. But I can't do this anymore."

"I know. Harry, I'm sorry. I can't stand to see you in pain."

"Then make it stop."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

Once again, Harry had no answer. Quoting her, he said "I don't know, Hermione. I really don't know." And he left, gathering his kids from the attraction and taking them home.

Later….

Harry had taken the kids out for dinner after the carnival. He arrived home and sent the kids straight to bed. He took his coat off and went to hang it on the rack when he stopped short. Hermione's coat was on the rung he would normally hang his on. He dropped his coat on top of hers, fished his keys from the pocket, and walked into the kitchen, where he found her sitting on a barstool waiting for him.

"Hi." She said quietly. He stuck his hands in his back jean pockets, cocked one knee, and hung his head for a few seconds before looking at her. His face was flushed, like he'd spent most of the evening laughing. Even after everything that had happened between them at the carnival, Hermione could still feel the tug of lust at her belly. Harry Potter was one sexy man, but as much as she wanted to have all of him to herself just one more time, she knew he wouldn't go for it, and for that she was glad. It would be a mistake, one that would ruin any chance of reconciliation between the two of them. In spite of everything, there was a small part of her true heart, the part that had nothing to do with what her head was telling it, the part that showed how she honestly felt, that was holding on to the hope that one day, she would again be Mrs. Harry Potter. There was a glimmer of hope there. She wanted to be his wife. She had realized that while she was sitting in his kitchen waiting for him. She wanted to be with him, forever and for always, just like she'd promised him she would be so many years ago. And yet, for some reason, she wouldn't tell him so. All he'd know, for now at least, was that she wanted to be friends.

"I'm sorry I made you angry at the carnival."

"I'm sorry, too. I thought about it, and being friends with you is ten times better than not having you at all. There's a flat right down the road that's for sale. I've been in there a few times. It's nice, you should check it out." Harry told her.

Hermione's heart went out to her school sweetheart. She rose from the barstool and crossed the tiled floor to him. She wrapped him in a tight hug. For once, he let himself go and squeezed her back, not worried about pain, but enjoying her again, because this time, she'd been the one to come to him. She was his friend. "Thank you, Harry."

A/N: I had a request to introduce Hermione's mother into the story, and I thought it would be a good idea. So next chapter, I'll start to integrate her in, so please stay tuned to In This Life, and thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Love from Turice


	20. On Again Tonight

_**A/N: Hey everyone! I got my exams results back! The math test I was so sure I failed because I picked the answers by going inka-binka-a-bottle-of-ink on? I got a ninety-five percent on! LOL, I was so happy! Anyway, I decided to break the chapter about Hermione's mother into two parts. It makes it easier on me. So after this, rest assured, you haven't seen the end of her mother! And as always, thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate everyone's comments! Love from Turice**_

_**CHAPTER TWENTY: ON AGAIN TONIGHT**_

Lauren O'Hara sat in the window seat to the right of her vanity table. Her villa was on a bluff overlooking the French seascape. There was open ocean as far as the eye could see. On most days, the sun would shine just a little, but the water and sky above it seemed to be mirroring her feelings this morning, for once. Her husband, Pete, an ass-backwards Irish farmer living with a British wife in a Tuscan villa on the edge of France, had given her the vanity room overlooking the ocean in hopes of cheering her up when they'd moved. It was ironic, really, that he thought he ruled this large house when in reality, it was her money that had got them there in the first place, her the hired help looked to for orders, her everyone in the village within sight of the castle said owned it. But she'd gotten away with letting him think what he wanted and her knowing the real truth all the while for years. He thought she suffered from not having made love with her husband in seven years. She'd been the one to initiate the sex strike, him who'd been furious when she refused to give it all up to him.

Theirs was a loveless marriage; one both would rather say they hate and have than be without. He had his secret. He'd bragged in the local pub that his mistress in the city, put up and cared for with his cold wife's money, was his 'dirty little secret'. Little did he know, his wife knew and didn't care. Besides, Lauren O'Hara had her own dirty little secret: she had a thirty-year-old daughter with another man living in London. And not just any daughter; her daughter was the one and only Hermione Potter, having married the famous Harry Potter when she was a mere thirteen. She'd been devastated when news spread around the world seven years ago that she'd died, and totally confused , but overjoyed none the less, when just recently it was found that she'd never really been dead. She had been wondering whether to get into touch with her daughter ever since. Other than the fact that she'd been married to Harry Potter all those years ago, and that she'd been ferreted to America and back again, Lauren really knew nothing of her daughter's life. But she wanted to learn.

She thought back to that dreary Halloween night, when Sirius had been framed for murder. She'd been at home with their crying young daughter while he was out discovering his best friends' bodies. He hadn't bothered telling her James, Lily, and Harry were in danger. But then again, he never told her anything. Just as her life was now, Lauren hated her life then. Lauren had had a crush on Sirius since their third year at Hogwarts. He was the typical playboy, the one who knew he was drop dead sexy and used it to his advantage, strutting around with his equally sexy best friend, and their whole group of admirers. While James was the one pining away for his one and only, Sirius was the arrogant one who had no problem hooking up with a new, generally nasty girl whenever he felt like it. The hooking up had continued even once they had left Hogwarts. Lauren had had no problem shamelessly flirting with Sirius every time he came shopping at the supermarket where she worked as a cashier. She found he'd often forget things on purpose in order to secure himself a reason to come back and see her. She fell into his advances easily.

She remembered the flutter in her tummy the first time he'd asked her out. He'd taken her to a restaurant famous for being one of the most romantic in London, ordered an expensive wine, and had treated her like a princess. He was a charmer all right, one she had no problem falling into easy laughter with. She now knew why the girls who had gotten close to him always spoke so highly of him. Underneath all of the cocky sex appeal, he was a sweetheart. She learned why such nice guys like his best friends put up with a playboy lacking all morals. In talking to him, you realized he had a sizzling brilliance underneath his rugged exterior, he was fiercely loyal, and a complete mush when it came to the love story of his best friend James and his newly expectant wife, Lily. Lauren had made the mistake of mentioning the shunning of his werewolf friend, Remus, and she'd gotten an earful. By the time Sirius was done explaining, Lauren knew every favorable quality of Remus Lupin and just how much his buddies cared about him. At the end of the night, when Sirius had walked her to her door, they kissed goodnight and then some. He was fantastic in bed, making Lauren's body do things she'd never thought possible. When she'd awakened in the morning, she found only a note on her pillow with seven numbers that would keep her in touch with him. They played the dating game for four months, repeating the same pattern of having a great time on a date and then returning to either one of their apartments and having an even better time, before Lauren realized something was wrong. She'd skipped a couple of months. Lauren rushed to St. Mungo's, where they confirmed her worst fear: she was pregnant with her first child, the first child, too, of the baby's father, Sirius Black.

She'd cried when she'd told him. He held her as she did, promising that they'd work it out. He promised they'd get married and raise the baby together. He'd kept his promise. But that didn't make it any easier on her. She had never pictured herself having a husband and a baby at the age of twenty. She had a great support system in Lily, but Lily had wanted to marry James, and wanted to be pregnant with her son. Lauren did not. She would rather have continued carelessly having sex with a hot guy whenever she felt like it and then sending him home in the morning. Now her narrow little hips were expanding, her perky breasts were sagging and tender. On the day she gave birth to her daughter, Sirius was ecstatic. He loved his baby girl more than anything or anyone. Throughout the pregnancy, he'd been the one with the expectant glow. James had laughed in the delivery room and said Sirius had never shone so bright. Lauren had to agree with him. At least one of them was happy with Hermione's arrival. If you counted James's family, there was four people happy to see her. Even little Harry was happy. Harry had been fussy all day. He cried throughout the whole delivery. But as James held Harry and Sirius held Hermione, they put them eye to eye. Harry instantly stopped crying. The three month old baby looked at the newborn. They stared at each other. Harry smiled at Hermione, and as if he gave her inspiration, Hermione smiled at him for the first time. Lily, standing next to James and her son, saw the actions of the two infants and knew then what was in the future for the two of them. Lauren had shrugged it off. They were just babies after all. It looked now as if Lily had been right.

Lauren had cared for Hermione day in and day out for nine months. She really tried to have the same spark Lily had with Harry. But it never worked. As much as she knew she had to hide it from everyone, including the father of her baby, she couldn't deny it to herself; she didn't want Hermione. She didn't want her house, she didn't want her husband. And then, in what seemed like an instant, everything she had was gone and she was free at last. Sirius was in jail after agreeing to end their marriage, her daughter was placed in a home with people who would give her the love she deserved, more than she'd ever gotten from her mother. Her everything was gone and so was she. She was on the streets of Paris before Sirius could even blink. She hadn't told him where Hermione was. The little voice in her head had told her not to. She knew now that the her intuition had been wrong all along. After Sirius, she hadn't had anyone who gave a damn about her. She knew she'd broken his heart by taking his baby. But things must be okay now. As far as she knew, he was dead and their daughter had gotten back home regardless of what her mother had done to her.

It was guilt that Lauren from going to meet her daughter again. How could she face the baby she'd abandoned after never having given her a chance in the first place? She rose from the window seat and grabbed her purse from the table. She left the mansion she hated, heading for a place she hadn't been in more than twenty-five years. She Apparated to Hogsmeade, straight to the familiar old door of The Three Broomsticks.

The same warmth the Three Broomsticks had always possessed wrapped itself around Lauren, like a hug from a dearly missed old friend. Even Madam Rosmerta was still there, though she had aged considerably. But she still wore the slippers with the bells on the toes and the same cheery smile she always did. Lauren smiled. She never should have left London, her husband, or her daughter. But you always do right by yourself, and you pay for your sins. There's no such thing as what might have been. Wasting time on it will drive you out of your mind.

Harry Potter was sitting at a table near the door, enjoying his first butterbeer in what he could tell would be a long series of them. He was waiting for Sirius, Remus, and his best friend Ron, just the four of them meeting to catch up on each other's lives. Ron had already had Rosmerta inform Harry that he was going to be late. One of Ron's sons had a virus of some sort, and his wife wasn't expected to be home for at least another half hour. But it was alright with Harry. It had been awhile since he'd sat and talked with Sirius, who was supposed to arrive before Remus, who seemed to be chronically late these days. They'd share a few more private stories as they waited for the other two.

Harry was finishing the final sip of the first butterbeer when the woman caught his eye. She was seated at the far end of the bar from the door, alone and looking uncomfortable. What really struck Harry, however, was the striking resemblance she bore to someone he knew. She was, quite simply, a slightly older version of Hermione. The hair, the lips, the eyes, even the clothing style and melancholic look on her face was that of his childhood friend. Had he been thinking clearly, he could have saved the man who had just walked through the front door a lot of trouble by making sure he didn't see her. However, Harry was not thinking clearly, something Sirius noticed when he first caught a glimpse of him from the door. Sirius approached Harry, and instead of breaking the man's concentration, he too turned to look at what Harry was frowning at so intently.

If tears make a sound when they fall, you would have been able to tell in the silence Sirius heard. He was only vaguely aware that the world was still spinning as he stared at her, looking sullen and broody. He hadn't seen her in thirty years, not since he saw her walking off with his daughter for the last time. No letters to tell him where she'd gone, where their daughter was, no letter to tell him why he received divorce papers while in Azkaban. Just silence, the same heavy silence that was all Sirius heard. He moved closer to her, almost gliding, as if in a trance. Harry had finally woken from his and watched as Sirius spoke to the woman.

"Lauren?"

Lauren spun the barstool to face the direction from which the speaker had called her name. Finding it odd that anyone would recognize her after all these years, she looked into the face of the speaker with curiosity. Sirius watched as her expression changed from curious to shock, and finally, to a little shameful.

"Sirius. I thought you were dead." She turned back to stare at a burn mark on the bar. Harry came up behind Sirius. There was no way he was going to miss a word of this little conversation.

"Funny little thing about our _daughter._ She's magically powerful enough to override that archway. But you wouldn't know if she's incredible or not, you've never met her." Sirius snarled.

"Oh, don't even start in on me here, Sirius. I'm not in the mood for you." Lauren muttered.

"Well, maybe you should have had an attitude like that thirty years ago. If you weren't in the mood for me then, you never would have ended up with an _inconvenience_ like a daughter."

"I know I'm a horrible person for what I did to you and her, Sirius. I don't want to discuss it with you. Not right now."

"Not right now. That's what you always said. You didn't want to deal with her back then either. When will you ever be ready to deal with your own daughter, Lauren?"

"I don't know. She doesn't even know I exist. I won't put a hurry on learning how to deal with her."

Sirius was completely baffled by the amount of carelessness Lauren was showing. They were talking her own flesh and blood, and she was too busy nursing a butterbeer to even go see her.

"Do you want to know what makes her look like so much more of an incredible person and you look more pathetic? She'll forgive you. She'll forgive you for walking out on her. She'll forgive you for being too damn selfish to even come visit her. She'll forgive you because that is just the person she is. A real, caring, compassionate person, one you will seriously regret not getting to know sooner. I pity you, Lauren. I really do." Sirius threw a Galleon onto the bar to pay for her drink, grabbed Harry roughly by the jacket sleeve, and hauled him outside, ranting to him the whole way, leaving Lauren to wallow in the well of self pity he'd just helped her make deeper.

Maybe she ought to cut her loses and go home. But some unknown part of her was telling her to follow Sirius and the dark haired man with him. She looked at the bottle of butterbeer in her hand, to the Galleon he'd left, and to him as he disappeared out of sight of the window. In a split seconddecision, she set the bottle down, grabbed her purse, and ran out the door after him. Lauren had no idea just what she was running to, but she knew deep down, in the part of her that had never been so fearful of him and of meeting her daughter, that she could not let him get away. Not until she knew more about her daughter. And know more about her daughter she would in the coming days.


	21. In My Daughter's Eyes

**_A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long to get this next chapter up. I moved to my sister's for the summer to help her move into her first house with her husband, so I've been really busy helping them out. The three of us painted every wall and ceiling in their brand new 2300 sq ft house in three days, and I am tired beyond all rational thought, but I had to get this done! So here you are, the twenty-first chapter of In This Life, In My Daughter's Eyes…_**

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: IN MY DAUGHTER'S EYES**_

Harry knew better than to argue or ask Sirius to let him go. He followed his godfather through the streets, his arm starting to hurt because Sirius was restricting blood from going to his hand. He was still in a shallow state of awe. He wasn't exactly, well, he just really didn't know how he felt. He knew Sirius had always said that Hermione really did look like her mother. Only a man who knew Hermione inside and out would know the difference between the two. Hermione's eyes held a youthful spark that her mother's did not. She was energetic, happy. Harry decided its because she was loved. Just by looking at the mother of his ex-wife, Harry knew the woman had no love in her life. That was the biggest difference between the two women. Hermione had the love of her family and friends behind her. Her children, her father, Remus, Tonks, Ron and all of the Weasleys, they all loved her. And whether she chose to acknowledge it or not, the father of her children loved her more than life. Lauren was painfully alone. It showed even in the way she sat, shoulders hunched over and sagging. Harry didn't like the woman after the way she treated the woman he loved. What galled him was that if Hermione looked like her mother, and their daughter looked like Hermione, then Cecilia looked like that woman. Harry was grateful Hermione had been raised by someone other than that woman and CeCe took after her mother. But as much as the first impression had given him a distaste for Sirius's ex-wife, he could not help but feel sorry for her. And after all, she was chasing after them. That had to score her some points, didn't it? Wait… she was chasing after them. That little thought registered itself in Harry's still spinning mind.

"Sirius, stop. No joke, man. Stop." Harry reached up with his other hand to pry Sirius' bony fingers away from his wrist. The blood rushed back into his purple hand with a tingling sensation.

"Sorry, Son." Sirius apologized as he drug his fingers across the makings of a mustache that was forming on his face. His dark hair and flashy eyes combined with the mustache made him look ten years younger and still just as attractive as he'd always been. Harry looked back to the woman still running towards them and the man pacing in front of him, trying to imagine them thirty years ago, before their daughter was born. They must have made a stunning couple, the ones who can walk into a room separately and still make a splash, but when they walked in together, they made a small tsunami. Much like how Harry always felt walking next to Hermione, like it was a honor to even be so close to her. It was easy to see just by looking at them that if they had had more children together, they all would be incredibly good-looking.

"Sirius, look who followed us." Harry pointed out to the man who was obviously still so furious he hadn't noticed.

"God damn her, what the hell is she thinking?" Sirius growled. Harry was taken aback at Sirius's reaction. He was pissed, and it showed.

"Maybe what you said had an affect on her. Just give her another chance." Harry spoke patiently so as to avoid making Sirius all the more upset.

"The same way she gave Hermione a chance? What makes you think she deserves it, and why am I hearing this from you? I'd expect you to be just as mad. You love Hermione, you know what her mother is missing out on! Why don't you say something?" The tone in Sirius's voice told Harry that messing with the love the man held for his daughter was deadly. Harry understood. In addition to having his own little girl, he loved this man's daughter.

"Do you remember what the last thing you said to Lauren was? In a nutshell, Hermione will forgive her. I grew up with Hermione. I married the woman, for Merlin's sake. You'd think something of her would rub off on me. This, my friend, would be one of those things. I'm going to give this woman the benefit of the doubt until I have an incredible amount of reason not to, and even then I still might, because my wife will. Excuse me," he said when he saw the corrective look on his godfather's face. "I will probably never get used to putting an 'ex' in front of 'wife', but I'm trying. I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt because my ex-wife will. Good enough reason for you?"

"Damn you, too. You're more like my daughter than you think. Fine. I'll listen to her, because I can't not listen to you when you're making so much sense. But if she hurts Hermione, I'll go after her first, and then come after you. Understand?"

"You wouldn't hurt me if your life depended on it." Harry fired back, smiling.

"Be thankful for your bloodline, Son, otherwise, I'd have no problem hurting you."

"You wouldn't hurt me because of who my father is? Are you sure it's not because you're the closest person to a father I've ever known, and you love me so much that I might as well be considered your only son?" Harry teased.

"That may factor into it. But right now, because you won't just let me be mad when I clearly want to, it's because of your father."

"Whatever you say, Padfoot, whatever you say." Harry chided innocently. Sirius snorted.

Lauren fought through the crowd with all the might her five-foot-three body provided her. She couldn't see over people and had lost track of the two black heads she was supposed to be following. But she hoped to catch them before they made it to the city limits to Apparate. Otherwise, she'd search until she found them in London. She was not letting go, not this time. She ended up in a clearing in the crowd, spinning on her heels looking for the men. She'd lost them. She was closer to tears then than she ever had been in ten years, she looked around frantically. She hadn't cried since she had attended the funeral of her mother nearly a decade again. She'd been in a loveless marriage so long that she'd forgotten what it was like to care, about herself or anyone else. And yet, this daughter she hadn't seen in three decades was bringing her to tears of desperation. Instead of crying those tears of hopelessness, she wept tears of relief when she heard two voices calling out to her.

"Lauren! Lauren, over here! Lauren!" both men shouted out as they saw her run right past them. She pushed through the crowds toward them. In an instant, she stood before them. They stood tall, each of them a good six feet in stature, and shoulder to shoulder. The stern look on their faces made her feel like she was a twelve-year-old in trouble with her father. But the younger man, the handsome one with jet black hair like Sirius's and emerald green eyes, his face was softer than Sirius's. His expression too was stern, but Lauren could see something else laced into it. What was it? It could be pity, but then again, it might be sympathy. The man looked somewhat like Sirius. The thought struck Lauren. He was definitely young enough to be…

"Sirius, I have a somewhat odd question to ask you."

"Fire away." he agreed.

"Um, is this your son?" She asked shyly, not wanting to be wrong and not willing to believe he'd had more children. He'd have to have had him even while he was with Lauren. Sirius, meanwhile, looked at Harry and started to laugh.

"Well, you could say that." He reached over to the man and pulled back his shaggy bangs, the ones that hid well the man's most distinguishing feature. Lauren gasped at the man, not knowing why she was so surprised to see him all grown up, and with Sirius.

"Harry? Wow! I can't believe it! It's you, thirty years older! It's really you! I mean, I don't mean to blubber, but… wow!"

The look on Harry's face was so priceless that Sirius had to laugh. Just as he did, the little bit of information Lauren knew of her daughter came trickling back into her mind. And she looked at Harry again as if it was the first time she'd ever seen him.

"You're her husband. You're my daughter's husband." She said in an awestruck voice. Harry blushed slightly and looked down at the ground.

"Actually, no, we're not married. Anymore, at least."

"What? When did that happen?"

"Right after she died." Harry said and hurried to explain when he saw the look of horror on Lauren's face. "But she never really died. I just never knew she was alive. We were twenty, with two babies, and Dumbledore found out that she was Voldemort's next murder attempt. So he stashed her away and told me and everyone else she was dead. The minute he convinced the government she was dead, our marriage was dissolved, and I had complete custody of our kids. She came back awhile ago. We're not together anymore, even though I want to be. We're in the process of getting joint custody of our kids."

"You have two kids together? What are their names? How old are they?"

"Yeah. She had the first when we were eighteen, the second when we were nineteen. Our older boy's name is Charlie. The little girl is Cecilia."

"Wow. I have two grandkids."

"They're great kids, Lauren You should meet them." Sirius stated.

"I intend to." Lauren took a deep breath. "Sirius, I'm sorry for what I said back there. I do want to know our daughter. She's my daughter; I don't know how I even gave her up in the first place. I'm so sorry I walked out on you, as well. I can't take back what I did thirty years ago. But I can at least pick up the pieces and try to put it all back together. Would you mind introducing me to our daughter?"

Sirius eyed her squarely. "You know, if it weren't Harry Potter over here, I wouldn't have turned around. You should be grateful he was married to Hermione. She should be at work right now." He turned to Harry. "What do you think? Do we go there or go over to her place and wait for her?"

"Go there and get it over with. She's going to go crazy." Harry said and walked further out of the city to Apparate to London.

Lauren and Sirius hurried after him, Lauren still trying to grasp the fact that she was going to be meeting her daughter in a matter of minutes. "Sirius, what does she do for a living?"

"Well, when she got back, she picked up where she left off as Co-Head of the Auror Department with the Ministry. She and Harry run the whole show."

"No kidding. She's an Auror?" Lauren was surprised. She'd thought about what Hermione might be like, but she'd never expected her to be such a risk taker.

Sirius looked at her sideways with a sarcastic look. "Well, what do you think she'd be? A baker? She was married to Harry Potter and has been neck deep in fighting Dark magic with him since they were eleven years old. She never had a single calm year while she was in Hogwarts. When she wasn't trying to save Harry's ass from Voldemort, she was saving him from me. She'd be horribly bored with being anything other than an Auror."

"Saving Harry from you? What the hell were you trying to do to him?"

Sirius laughed, remembering the fierce looks on his daughter's and her friend's faces as they said that if Sirius wanted to kill Harry, he'd have to kill them, too. Oh, yeah, he'd thought back then, that was his daughter all right. "That's the funny thing. I wasn't going to ever hurt Harry. They spent their third year thinking I was after him to finish Voldemort's agenda. You know I didn't kill Peter Pettigrew, I was never a Death Eater, and I never, ever wanted James, Lily, and Harry dead, right?"

"I didn't know you didn't kill Peter, but I knew you weren't a Death Eater, and I knew you'd never kill James and Lily."

"I as good as killed James and Lily, but I never killed Peter. I should have, though. Anyway, Harry believed the universal falsehoods about me, and thought that when I escaped Azkaban, that I was coming for him…"

"Wait, you escaped Azkaban?" Lauren asked incredulously.

"Yeah, but that's a different story. Peter was alive and living in his animagus form as Scabbers the rat with Ron Weasley, Harry and Hermione's friend. Ron and his family obviously didn't know what their rat really was, but I did. In my animagus form, I took Ron at night from right beside Harry and Hermione beneath the Whomping Willow. They didn't know who I was, I didn't know I had just taken my daughter's friend, but Ron had Scabbers in his pocket as I took him, clear to the Shrieking Shack. Harry and Hermione, just like I would have done for James or Remus, and as much as I hate to say it, Peter, came after me. In an instant in the dark of a dusty house, I was face to face with my daughter and my godson. They all thought I was there to kill Harry. She and Ron said that if I wanted to kill Harry, I'd have to kill her and Ron. I had accidentally broken Ron's leg on the way down. Had he not been so green in the face, I'm sure he would have looked as scared as Hermione did. I don't remember now what I said to piss him off, but Harry attacked me, punched me and so on. I actually had quite a time trying to fight him off. We were rolling on the ground, fighting, and I had to reach up and choke him. Hermione kicked out at me, caught me right in the jaw and damn near broke it. I rolled away and ended up at Harry's feet. He had his wand out and he was ready to kill me. Hermione had bought this pug-faced, ugly ginger colored cat at the beginning of the year. That damn cat jumped on my chest, right where Harry had his wand aimed at my heart, and wouldn't move. That bought me some time. Harry never could kill me. I tried to tell him what was going on. He had very little time to kill me, and he couldn't do it. Moony knew all of us were in the Shrieking Shack, and he got there quick enough. When he opened the door on all of us, he saw me on the floor with Crookshanks the cat on my chest, Harry with his wand pointed at me, and Hermione helping Ron on the bed. He disarmed Harry, and in the end, we ended up being able to get Harry to think rationally and listen to us. We proved to him what Scabbers really was. We forced Peter back to human form. He tried begging Ron and Hermione for mercy, didn't work. Hell, even our old friend Severus Snape ended up joining the party. All three kids tried to disarm him at once, knocked him out cold. Then we let Harry decide whether Peter lived or died. He decided we'd hand him over to the dementors. Well, before we could, Peter slipped away, Lupin turned into a werewolf, Harry saved my life from a hundred dementors by conjuring a Patronus at the age of thirteen, he passed out from that and Severus woke up, toke Harry, Hermione, and Ron to the hospital wing and locked me up in an office to wait for the dementors. As it turns out, Hermione had a Time Turner she'd been using to take extra classes all year. Dumbledore put the idea into her head to use the Time Turner to rescue a hippogriff that was supposed to be killed earlier and wait to fly it to the window where I was and send me away on the hippogriff. Of course she did, and took Harry with her. Imagine my surprise when my thirteen year old godson and daughter appear out of thin air on a hippogriff outside the window seven stories up. But they told me what they'd done, and I got away, thanks to the two of them. They snatched me out of the jaws of the Ministry of Magic at the age of thirteen. That was the first time I met Hermione. Later that July, she and Harry met up, this time to get married. Remus and I helped them make an aging potion. How it worked is still amazing to me. Hermione figured out a way to hide Harry's scar so if anybody actually chose to pay any attention to who was applying for a marriage license, they wouldn't immediately recognize them. The people in that department are morons, and so is the justice of the peace who married them. They didn't recognize either of them. Now that I think about it though, I think Remus and I were the morons. We should have never let them go through with it at such a young age. But since I didn't tell Hermione I was her father, and Harry was only just coming around to having a godfather, and Remus was just a family friend and mentor, what could we do?"

"You never told Hermione you were her father? She met you when she was thirteen. She left when she was twenty. That's seven years, and you didn't tell her?"

"No. I couldn't." He shook his head, voice deep as he continued. "I couldn't shake her foundation like that. She believed the people she was living with were her parents. They were good people, and she loved them. What was I to do? She was happy. I didn't want to change that. It wouldn't be fair to her."

"It wasn't fair to you either, though."

"So what? It's not about me, I'm the parent. It's about her."

"You're a better man than I remember, Sirius."

"Well, here we are. Are you ready for this?"

Lauren had forgotten where they were. They'd been walking through London all this time, and she'd forgotten. She stood in front of the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, suddenly chilled and shaking.

"Relax, Lauren, she's a sweetheart. You'll be fine." Harry smiled.

Lauren walked into the phone booth ahead of the two men as Harry whispered to Sirius, "Lauren will be fine, but the question is, will Hermione be okay?" Sirius could only shrug his shoulders and follow the mother of his daughter into the phone booth, dragging Harry along by the wrist again.

Once inside, Harry led the way again to the Auror department, and the office her and Hermione shared. Lauren watched as a slim brunette looked up through wisps of her hair at Harry, smiled a beautiful smile, dropped what she was doing and ran to give him a huge bear hug.

Lauren looked at Sirius, who was smiling. "Aren't they divorced?" she asked as Harry spun the woman in circles, still holding her close.

"No. They were once married, that's all. Give them a while and ten Galleons says they'll be married again. Remember, they were friends long before they were married. They stayed friends."

Harry kissed Hermione's cheek and set her down. She held him even then, smiling, and glanced back at her father and a woman she'd never met. She looked back into Harry's eyes before he leaned in to whisper to her.

"There's somebody your father would like you to meet." He went to ease back from his old friend to let the woman go to her father, but she pulled on his jacket to keep him near.

"Harry, who is that?" Hermione's voice was slow and deliberate as she recognized the physical qualities she shared with the woman standing next to her father, the thoughts going through her mind causing her a great deal of distress.

Harry tried to be as soothing as possible as she looked up at him, eyes wide and pretty mouth agape, "Well, go over there and see."

Hermione glared at him, just enough to let him know she didn't like his answer, grabbed his wrist in a way the Blacks seemed to like doing, and drew him behind her as she approached Sirius. She greeted him with a quick peck on the cheek and a tight hug. As she tried to break the embrace, it was her father this time who didn't let go and whispered to her, "Hermione, I'd like for you to meet your mother."

Hermione was rarely ever breathless. She held her middle as she looked at the older version of herself, not speaking, just staring. There was nothing more she could do. She couldn't find the appropriate words to say what she was thinking, or how she was feeling. The woman had walked out on her and her father without mercy. And yet, here she was, back again and smiling uncomfortably. Just out of the blue. Hermione hated surprises like this. All she could manage was a strangled "Hi" as the first thing she ever said to her mother.

The trance Lauren seemed to be in broke as her daughter spoke. She stopped smiling like a lunatic and shook her head, as if to clear her clouded mind. "I shouldn't have come. This was a mistake. I'm sorry." She looked at Sirius once again, and turned to walk out back into the crowded London streets and the emptiness that was her life.

She was three feet from the crate door that would take her back to the Lobby hallway of the Ministry when she felt a hand close around her elbow. Hermione had surged forward, not ready to let the lady walk out again. "Wait." she said quietly.

Lauren looked into the eyes of her girl, surprised at the warm compassion she saw in them. With a shy smile, she looked at her offspring. "Okay." She agreed. "I can do that." Hermione, with her mother's elbow still in her grasp, walked into the elevator, calling back to Sirius and Harry, "We'll be back later. We have things we need to do."

Lauren glanced at her as she pushed the button for the Lobby. Hermione smiled at her, trying her best to put the woman at ease. "Do you like coffee? There's this great little coffee shop up the way. I need a pick-me-up after this. We could sit and talk, if you want to."

"I would like that. Thank you." Lauren was already getting a feel for her daughter. She had a strong personality. She was one who you might meet once and she'd have you wrapped around her pinky finger. Brilliance was something Lauren knew her daughter would possess great quantities of, not only because her father was a mastermind, but because she was an Auror. She had to be smart, and gutsy as well. Courageous, ingenious, borderline psycho. Warm, loyal, loving. She could see that just from the way Hermione acted towards Harry. She'd been his lover and sidekick since she was eleven. They weren't even married now and a stranger could see the intimacy between the two. They were each other's better halves. Their kids, her grandchildren, for Merlin's sake, must be quite the people.

The little shop, called the Chug-A-Lug Coffee Stop, was decorated in every color of the rainbow. This place was definitely out of place in the modern urban London. It was colorful and cheery. There were no chairs, just low tables and giant pillows for customers to relax on. It made Lauren think of Topsy Turvy Day in the classic Hunchback of Notre Dame story. The employees even had the same style of hats and goofy looks on their faces as those shown in the film.

Hermione led Lauren to a table back away from the door and plopped down on a hot pink overstuffed pillow, gesturing for Lauren to do the same. If only the village people who lived in the shadow of her French manor could see the woman they thought of as uptight and cold now, in the middle of a rainbow and sprawled on an array of pillows.

"I love this place." Hermione started. "It's a breath of fresh air compared to what I deal with all day. Criminals, murder, evil, all day long. This place, though, helps make it seem like none of that exists. At least for an hour. Which is better than nothing, right?"

Lauren laughed. "Oh yeah. I remember. It's a good thing your father has a sense of humor, or he would have gone crazy all those years ago. How is it that you handle everything? I mean, not only are you an Auror, but you and Harry run the whole parade!"

"Well, I've been a part of this thing since I was young. I thought it was only since I was eleven, but that's when I started participating in my own right. I guess it's been a part of me as long as I've been alive, maybe you could say longer than that. I mean, something about being the granddaughter of the most feared wizard in history makes it in my blood." Hermione shrugged sarcastically.

"Granddaughter of the most feared wizard in history? Where did that come from?" Lauren seemed to have missed a step.

"Well, yeah. Did you not know? Dad is Voldemort's son. Obviously he's nothing like him, he hates him, but nonetheless. Voldemort needed an heir. Dad's mom wanted a strong blooded son. She didn't know Voldemort was a half-blood. So Dad was born. But as he grew, along with his half brother through his mother, he wasn't like any of the rest of them. You know Dad, and what all he went through when he was in school. The only people who knew why he was always so much trouble were his mother and Voldemort himself. Even his mother's husband thought he was his son. Other than his real parents, nobody knew of Dad's true bloodline. He unknowingly passed that blood to me. He didn't find out who he was until the year I was fifteen. But he couldn't tell me who I was, either, for obvious reasons. He has said since then that he should have told me earlier, so I could take into consideration any children I might have. He was dead by the time I had my kids. He doesn't seem to get that I would have kids anyway, and Harry would be the very first person I'd choose to have kids with. His blood so counteracts anything bad I got from Dad. Someday he'll realize that he is not who his blood says he is. His parents realized that, and that's why life was so rough on him from the time he was young. I am only a quarter Riddle, half bad blood. I have my genes from you, too. Anyway, I'm rambling here. I'm very proud to be my father's daughter, because that's what I am. His daughter, regardless of where my genetics come from. My kids are great kids, mostly because of their father. That's the bottom line. We're all okay, for the lot we've been given in life."

"Very true. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise. A lot of people would shun him if all they knew was that he was Voldemort's son, you his granddaughter. Who else knows about this?"

"Outside of Dad and I, Dumbledore, Remus, and Harry all know. My kids don't know yet. We might tell them when they get older. We might just not tell them all together. It's not important, and if they ever do find out, they'll need to know that it's not relevant."

"Good thinking." Lauren agreed. Hermione was quiet for a minute, contemplating how to ask a question she needed answered.

"Mom?"

Lauren stopped. Why she was so unnerved to hear herself being called a name like that was beyond her, but she was. It was the first time in her long lifetime anyone had ever said that to her. What had she been expecting? Certainly she didn't want her own daughter calling her Lauren.

"Why did you walk out? Why didn't you believe Dad when he told you he didn't kill somebody? Why didn't you keep me, raise me, be my mother?" Hermione asked, pain she didn't know she ever felt evident in the way she spoke. She'd been through hell herself, already walked a mile in her mother's shoes without realizing it. She had done to her kids the same thing that was done to her without knowing what pattern she was following. She'd left her kids at the same age her mother had left her. She had wanted to stay. It didn't matter how often Harry told her leaving wasn't her choice and therefore not her fault, she always felt she should have done more fighting to stay. She had wanted her children, though.

"I should have stayed with you, Hermione. I really should have. And thirty years later, I know what I did was wrong." Lauren breathed heavily before she continued. The next words were going to be hard for her to say, and harder for Hermione to hear, but for once, instinctually she knew what her daughter needed to hear. "I… I had always thought of you as the biggest mistake I ever made. I was young and free, I had a whole life ahead of me. I had a boyfriend I'd had a huge crush on since I was thirteen, and Heaven knows he was sexy. I got pregnant with you on our first date. I wanted to keep living. I didn't want to be saddled down with a husband and a kid. And yet, he wanted you, and he wanted me. What was I to do? We got married. I befriended Lily Potter, who was a model with pregnancy. Somehow I always got the vibe she knew how I really felt, but being the human being she was, she never mentioned it to Sirius, or James for that matter, who would have spilled the beans to Sirius. We did all the typical Mommy-to-be things together, even if she was more enthusiastic than I was. I tried my best to be like her. I wanted the glow, I wanted the knowing smile a woman gets when she's pregnant. Lily was amazing with Harry. I wasn't so much with you. And for that, I'm sorry. I don't want you to think that you're a pest to me. I may not have meant for you to happen, but… I don't know, Hermione. I'm here with you for a reason. I woke up this morning just like any other morning. But I thought about you, and I realized I messed up when I walked out on you. I messed up when I walked out on your father, who was the one who actually cared. My husband now, we're not in love. We're just married. I never see him. He doesn't come home at night. He stays out with his mistresses. This is not what I pictured when I pictured my life. I don't even remember what I thought life was all about. But I should have stayed, because every part of my heart is telling me that I would have had a shot at a decent happy life with you. I can't make up for what I did to my own daughter. But I want to at least fix the bridges I burned to make them crossable again."

"Yes, Mom, you can. If you want, you can stay with me at my flat for a while. I don't want you going anywhere. Not again."

Lauren smiled through the tears in her eyes. Her father and ex-husband had been right. Hermione Potter was a magnificent human being.


	22. Some Broken Hearts Never Mend

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: SOME BROKEN HEARTS NEVER MEND**_

Lauren walked into the darkness of her villa back in France. Her butler was there to greet her, but even he didn't seem happy. It had occurred to Lauren why she'd never realized this before. It took internal happiness in one person to recognize unhappiness in another. She approached her butler of fourteen years without so much as a word. He was six foot two and sixty four years old. It was about time the man started to live. She could see his dull eyes and forced grin. He used to smile, but now all he managed was a small grin.

"Robert," Lauren said as she laid a gentle hand on his cheek. The man tensed as she did, like a whipped puppy. "What do you dream about at night?"

"I don't dream, Madam."

"Yes, you do. What do you see yourself doing?" The tenderness of Lauren's expression and the warmth of her hand on his face made Robert loosen up. He'd never seen his boss like this. There was something different about her.

"I want to live in Spain. Somewhere I can go outside to a sunny strip of beach anytime I feel the fancy." Robert said, for once the gleam of dream was in his eyes.

Lauren gave the impression that she was thinking about his dream, thinking whether she agreed with him, but all the while she knew what she was going to do to help his dream along.

"Hum. Good dream. Sounds actually like something I'd want to do. Want me to let you in on a little secret, Robert?" Robert shrugged. "Things won't go on like this for much longer. I've found my daughter, Robert. My daughter. I bet you didn't know I had a daughter. Oh, I do. She's fantastic. Her name's Hermione. She lives in London with her children. I'm a mother and a grandmother! I can't take this dark life anymore. I forgot, I can enjoy life. And I mean live. Really live. No more of this. I'm going back to London to be with her. You, I will give you enough money live out your dream. How much do you think it will take? Two million sound good? It's yours. It's all yours. As of right now, you're officially off duty. Forever. You're welcome to stay until you get on your feet, though. Pete isn't going to come home tonight, so he doesn't have to know as of yet. I'll get you your money tomorrow. I'll even go with you to Spain to find you a place to stay. But I don't want Pete to give you any trouble when he does come home, maybe tomorrow evening. We have to move fast! But you, go retire for now. And for God's sake, try putting on some different clothes. Now you don't have to wear that damn suit I know you hate! Robert, you and I, our lives are about to start, like we haven't had time to live since we were kids!" Lauren was swept up in her jubilee as she threw herself around his neck and squeezed tightly, planting a rough kiss on his cheek before jogging up the stairs behind them two at a time. She was like an excited eight year old again. She felt magical all over again. Not with a wand, but with something else. She was blossoming. Robert watched her go, smiling for a change in his lifestyle. He believed her. Someone who hadn't known her as long might call her drunk. But Robert, who had a knack for studying people and learning who they are by simply taking small bits of information from their habits. He believed her as if he'd never believed anything in his life. Looking around to make sure nobody was watching, he started dancing around the reception hall of the manor, gray hair flying in a manner reminiscent of Danny in the classic movie "Grease" he watched so often in his precious off time. Lauren did see him, though. She laughed because he didn't know she stole his movie every now and then to watch it for herself. She loved watching the dance scene in the movie. As Robert broke down into the hand jive, Lauren laughed some more and followed his movements with her own hands. It felt refreshing to know she'd made him that happy. She left him to his dancing.

Lauren returned to the vanity table she sat at before she left. This time when she looked in the mirror, she saw a person she hadn't seen in many years. She used to laugh so much she had laugh lines on her face early in life. They hadn't been used in such a very long time, Lauren had forgotten she'd had them under all the make-up. Her make-up was gone from her face now. She'd been laughing so frequently today. In her own humble opinion, she'd never looked or felt so beautiful. Her twinkling eyes looked as if they held surprises abound. Ever line etched in her face seemed to have the same upward curve her mouth did. She'd spent three hours simply talking with her daughter amidst cheery colors and people in the highest of spirits. The waiters, other customers, all people she didn't know who seemed Heaven-sent to make her day all the brighter. She'd found something she didn't realize she'd been without since she'd left the baby and her father. Honest, _heart-deep_ happiness and belonging.

She turned to her sitting room behind the vanity room. She wondered what she'd be taking with her when she left. She didn't have anything she loved in the house. Nothing at all of any value to her. Instead she'd take the bare necessity in furniture. She wanted a small flat near Hermione's in London. Nothing more than a small living space, an even smaller kitchen, a bedroom for her. So, she'd probably need nothing more than what was in the room behind her. She had a sofa, a TV, a few tables, all tastefully selected for a woman who once would accept nothing but perfection. She had learned differently now. Although, there was a grim satisfaction in knowing even if she was downsizing significantly, she would still have a very fashionable new home. She'd be buying a new kitchen table, and a new bed. There was no way in hell she'd be taking the one from the bedroom she and Pete were supposed to share. No. If he chose to take it, he could. She didn't want it. Whatever Robert decided he wanted, he could have as well. After all he'd done for Lauren for so many years without so much as a thank you, he could take everything Lauren didn't and there was nothing Pete could do. She'd have to mention to Robert to not be humble in his pickings.

Lauren couldn't decide whether she wanted to run Pete into the ground when she left. The part of her that had been left lonely and betrayed by an unfaithful husband was screaming for vengeance. The other part of her said she just wanted to go. She was happy now. It wasn't up to her to make him suffer. He would have his own suffering. She'd leave him some money. Just enough for him to get his own place closer to town, put down a few crops to sustain himself in the future, make sure he can survive, but not exactly thrive, in the time it takes for the crops to grow. His whore in the city would have to figure out how to live on her own. She didn't doubt that the woman would simply go on with her chosen profession. She'd met the woman one time, just once in town, and that was all she needed to know that the woman her husband was keeping had no morals enough to stay with him if he had no money. She wasn't going to leave him to starve in the streets, but she wasn't going to leave him in the lap of luxury, either. She'd need her money, if she was going to spoil her grandbabies.

Lauren spent the rest of the putting the stuff she'd take in the reception hall near the door. When she stood back to look at what she'd have to move, she nearly laughed. It was pathetic, what she was walking away with. She and Robert has split the kitchen things, Robert taking what he wanted and leaving whatever else to Pete. Lauren would buy her own things for a second hand store in London. The two of them had decided to leave every bit of food to Pete, because both of them knew how to take care of themselves and had the money to do so. Pete would need all the help he could get.

Lauren noticed that Robert went straight for anything expensive. The man really wanted a life full of grand things. When they finished, Robert's stuff was piled on the other side of the reception hall. The only difference between Lauren's pile and his was that his was spilling into the tea room on his side of the reception hall.

"Well, I think I came away with what I deserved from this whole deal." Robert said, coming to stand behind Lauren. Lauren chuckled richly.

"Yes, you did, Robert. Yes, you did. Now, I bet there is some fancy hotel in Spain with your name written all over it. Oh, and maybe a storage unit, too. I don't care how fancy the hotel is, you could never fit all this in there!"

"Alright, then, let's go!" Robert still had his suit on. When he moved his hand up towards it, Lauren looked at his lapel. There was a pair of sunglasses tucked in the corner, which Robert flipped open and set on the bridge of his nose in a fashion that seemed as if he'd been doing it his whole life. She had to admit, he looked rather stylish. "My Lady," he offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

"But of course!" She took his arm, and for the first time in his long time knowing her, they walked side by side to the car, sat side by side as they drove out to the country so they could Apparate safely to Spain to look for Robert's temporary home.

_Later…_

Pete O'Hara walked into his home at midnight. His mistress in the city had copped an attitude with him, refusing to give him what he paid her for until he agreed to make a promise to her. A promise that involved a ring and a license. One he could not make. She'd flown into a fury when he'd backhanded her. He was raised to never hit a woman, and he'd never done anything even remotely close to slapping a woman in his life, but she'd made him so livid. There was no control. He left before he lost it again, instead going back to the one place he hated more than anything in the world: home to his cold bitch of a wife.

As he turned the key and went to push open the front door of the villa, the door would hardly budge. As hard as he pushed the door was too weighty and wouldn't give another inch. Giving up and knowing there was absolutely no other way in, he went back to his car, ready to bunker down and sleep in the car. He had no idea where his wife was, but there was little doubt in his mind that she must be having an affair by now. If she wasn't sleeping with another man already, she was more dry and stony than a gargoyle, and about as moody-looking as one, too. Even if she was out with someone else, she had to come home eventually. He'd know soon enough what was blocking that damn door.

When Lauren got home, she was alone. She'd promised to keep Robert's stuff where it was until he returned the next day to collect it, and the rest of his money. He had a refundable month in the hotel he was in now, just in case he didn't stay there the whole time. They had passed some sea side mansions on the way into the Spanish town, all that looked rather inviting to Robert. He could picture himself living in any of them. That really was all he needed at the moment. She was happy to know that he would be alright. She finished the drive home with a sense of accomplishment and the effervescent feeling of doing good in the world. She felt as if she'd done right by Robert, as if she'd done right by herself, and most importantly, as if she'd done right by her daughter.

The glowing feel Lauren had vanished as she pulled up the drive. She saw her husband's little, black, very expensive Mercedes parked outside with the inside dome light switched on. She saw the outline of his balding head against the headrest. She knew the night she had ahead of her was not going to be pretty.

Pete saw the reflection of Lauren's car lights on the garage door. He'd been gearing himself up for a fight since he found the door locked and the gargoyle woman gone. Now as the time neared to release the pent-up energy, he started to fume. He opened the car door and got out, slamming the door. Lauren saw the glass on the window shake and quiver from the sheer force of the slam. The shine from her day drained even further. She could tell from his body language that he was angry. But it wasn't anything new or frightening to her to see him upset. He always was uneasy around her.

"Lauren! Where the hell have you been? And why won't the door open?" Pete shouted at his wife. Lauren grabbed her purse, thousands of notes to exchange at Gringott's for Galleons. Was Lauren O'Hara a rich woman? Oh yes, even now, she was a very wealthy woman. She stepped out of the car. As she rose from her seat and turned her head, her nose brushed his. She hadn't been so near to him in longer than she could remember. She froze, her breath mixing with his in the air. Hers smelled like the cherry flavored candy she'd bought at the convenience store along the way in loving memory of her daughter, who she'd seen take out a tube of cherry flavored lip gloss. Hermione had explained that she'd been buying the same lip gloss since she was twelve. Harry liked tasting the sweetness on her lips. Even when she'd been away from him, she'd still bought the same gloss, out of habit and affection. Lauren could already tell that cherry was going to be one of the little things she always associated with her only daughter. While Lauren's breath was sweet, Pete's was sour with stale whiskey. If there was a drink Lauren could not stomach, it was whiskey. It wasn't that she herself didn't like the alcohol. It was the fact that Pete drank it. The smell of it made her stomach churn. It was a drink Sirius used to favor. All those years ago, Lauren hadn't minded. Now, it was disgusting to her. She could only hope that being around Sirius again, maybe seeing him drink it every now and then might rekindle the familiar feeling for Lauren. But standing so close to Pete and smelling it on him now was irritating.

Lauren looked closely at the man she married, the one she was planning on sending divorce papers to sometime in the near future. She remembered being attracted to the strong, silent type after having dated Sirius, who was anything but. Pete was a convenience marriage. He used to have the rough ways in bed that someone with as much fire as she had needed. And now, she'd give anything for the many different ways she and Sirius had loved. Hurriedly and passionately at first, and then slow and sensual, but passionately just the same. She genuinely missed being his wife, for the first time ever. She missed more than being his wife. She missed him. Pete was the past to her, a past she'd rather forget.

"Pete, we have to go in the back way. And once we get inside, we'll go to the kitchen. We need to talk."

"What the hell about?" he grumbled. Lauren decided to bite her tongue, keeping the words "about us" from tumbling out. She wasn't going to scare him off now, before she had a chance to say everything to him she wanted to say.

Lauren led him around the back of the mansion and through the back doors to the kitchen entrance. She knew full well that through the archway at the head of the kitchen, you could plainly see the rest of Robert's pile of newfound possessions spilling out into the tea room. Pete was going to throw a fit.

He did. Pete took one look at the things scattered on the floor and rounded on her. "Lauren, damn it, what is going on?"

She started casually, as if talking in the kitchen was something they did as husband and wife all of the time. "I took a most interesting trip yesterday. I was bored, and someone I hadn't thought about popped into my mind. I don't know what I was thinking, but I went up to Hogsmeade, intent on seeing her. But I chickened out and instead ended up in a bar. Well, guess who was there? Her husband, who just happened to be meeting my ex-husband. Crazy little world, isn't it?"

Pete picked his head up off his palm, which was against the counter. "You have an ex-husband?" He looked slightly tempered, but suppressed it. Lauren laughed.

"Yeah, Pete, believe it or not, I have been married before. And, to top it all off, I have a daughter that was the precursor to that marriage."

"You have a god damn daughter. Jesus, Lauren, why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, because I didn't want Hermione. Until yesterday, at least. I didn't want Sirius when I was married to him, either. But now I do. I want both of them again."

"And that leaves me where exactly? Did you think about that, Lauren?"

"Actually, yes. I thought about you. I thought about not giving you a second thought, much like you did for me, when you were running all over town, sleeping with whatever woman you could. Why would I think twice about leaving somebody like that? But I did. And I came to the conclusion that I'll leave you enough money to get by for the next year. That includes shelter, food, crops, and you can keep whatever Robert and I haven't already called. You'll have the bare minimum you'll need, and then you're on your own. I'm going back to the life I never should have left." Lauren stated simply, daring him to argue. What he did next shocked her.

In an instant, he had rounded the corner of the counter and grabbed her by the arm. "You can't do that to me, you bitch. You can't leave me at all. You'll die before you do." He shouted, all the while tightening his grip on her arm. She wasn't afraid of him, although her conscience told her to run for dear life.

"Watch me." She hissed. He raised his fist and brought it within striking range of her. And then he let it fly. Lauren was on the ground bleeding before she knew what happened next. He was on top of her, pulling on her jeans, wrestling with the belt she was thankful was tight. The belt delayed him because he was too angry to even think about undoing it. That gave her time to think about getting away.

"You want to leave me? You coward slut. You don't know what you're missing." He said, fighting his own zipper, having given up on hers for the moment. She was not about to let him ever take advantage of her. She was anything but a coward anymore. She looked around beneath him, for anything to aid her in her attempt to get away. She thought about how cliché it was when she saw the frying pan. But in all hope that it worked as well as it did in the movies, she grabbed it and swung it at his head, hoping to at least knock him back, if not knock him out. It did. The force of the swing made him fly off her and land on the floor behind them, out cold. She jumped up from the ground and tugged her jeans higher on her hips. She would leave now. She decided she'd go to the authorities, have them force Pete to surrender the things that belonged to her, and since they didn't know that the large pile was Robert's, she'd ask for that, too, and give it to Robert as soon as she could. And then she'd run. She'd run back to a place she knew she'd be safe, a place her heart was safe: Right back into the arms of Sirius Black.

_Later…_

Sirius dabbed a warm washcloth on Lauren's temple. The gash was easily fixable for a wizard, but what he couldn't get passed is how a man could ever hit a woman and then try to rape her. From what she'd told him, which he trusted was the truth, she did nothing more than finally stand up for herself. And he'd knocked her down. Sirius would slug the jerk if he ever got the chance.

"Damn, Laur, he did a number on you. Has he ever done this before?" Lauren shook her head at his question, making him raise his palm to her chin to hold her face still. His hand was warm and surprisingly soft, and gentle in the stark contrast to the last hand that held her face. She brought her hand to his and moved it, so she could look at it. He let her, not exactly knowing what she was doing. He never had been blessed with the ability to read a woman like Harry could look at the back of his daughter's head and know instinctively what she was thinking. Lauren looked at his hand and remembered back thirty years to that hand holding hers, those fingers gliding over her body in passion. That hand that held hers while she gave birth to their daughter, the one that through all the time before his daughter was born would draw lazy circles on her tummy to soothe the budding life in the middle of the night while he couldn't sleep from thinking about the little one who held the heart of a man who'd sworn he'd never give it away. She was his little girl, and he was her daddy. Daddy's hands. Lauren hoped Hermione appreciated her father. He deserved it, after all he'd been through for her.

Lauren couldn't hold herself anymore. She stopped thinking all together and started to cry out of sheer frustration and honest sorrow. Sirius watched as the tears began to flow. He was confused again. His first instinct was to hold her, to ease her pain. But he remembered also watching her walk off with his daughter for the last time. He wasn't sure if he was man enough to forgive her for that. Then he stopped himself. Lauren needed a man. A real man, one who would hold her as she cried and dry her tears. Not one that would throw her on the ground and try to take from her. And all be damned if he wasn't going to be that man. He was man enough to forgive her for walking away, and he was man enough to step up now. Like no other man she'd ever had, he crawled up onto his bed where she was sitting and gathered her onto his lap like a child, holding her and rocking her. He placed a small kiss on her temple. "Lauren, stop. It's over now. It's all over. You're here with me and safe. I'm here. Stop crying, Lauren. Please stop crying. You're going to be okay now."

Lauren breathed deeply as he stopped rocking and held her tighter. She relaxed in his arms. "You're right, Sirius. I'm here with you and I'm going to be fine." She looked him in the eye as she said the words. He looked in her eyes and saw the same woman he'd flirted with all those years ago. The mother of his child.

"What am I going to do about you?" he asked. Lauren didn't have an answer.


	23. A Night To Remember

_**Wow, everybody, what can I say? In the past two months my life has changed unbelievable amounts. I have a whole new home, with all new people. I am no longer my mother's responsibility, instead I belong to my older sister. I have been so busy with this life, from worrying that I might not get to keep the comfortable life I've established to learning that Mom will finally let me go, to learning that I have way more family than I ever thought, although not a single one of these people and I share blood. That's just the people I have chosen to surround myself with. So that explains why this chapter is shorter than others past, and why it's so late coming. I'm back this time, though, for good, with the rest of my story. I have something like another thirty or so chapters in my hip pocket to share with you, so if you're still interested in my story, please don't hesitate to let me know! Sorry this took so long, but here you go, the next chapter in "In This Life I Was Loved By You"… lots and lots of love from Turice**_

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: A NIGHT TO REMEMBER**_

Harry Potter sat alone cross-legged on his bedroom floor, leaning against the four poster bed he had once shared with his wife. It was two thirty in the morning on a Sunday. Hermione was nestled under the covers in the bed behind him, breathing deeply, sound asleep. They had been out dancing on Saturday night, having fun together for the first time in a long time. Harry would not let himself think of the night as their second first date, but he couldn't help laughing over the fact that she was now asleep in his bed. He'd said to her that he wouldn't mind sleeping on the couch if she wanted to come home with him after the dancing and sleep at his house. What they both got out of the promise was the underlying knowledge that he wouldn't hit on her that night. For now, they had kept their promise to be friends. She was an old friend crashing in the comfort of a friend's house. At least, that's all she felt. He wanted more. Just one more time, he wanted to lay her down on the bed, feel the silky female skin beneath his fingers as they made love. But no. She had taken his promise to the fullest extent. There was no lovemaking between the two of them tonight. Harry had the hardest time watching as she dug through his chest of drawers before falling into the bed, looking for her favorite old shirt of his to sleep in as a night shirt. She found it. So there she lay, in his Quidditch jersey from their seventh year and snuggled under the down comforter. He loved how soft she looked when she was asleep. He had sat in the armchair he kept next to the bed for an hour after she drifted off to dream, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath, watching as her lips curled into a gentle smile, her dreams reflected on her face. He noticed a few wrinkle lines that hadn't been there the last time he'd sat like that in the middle of the night, just looking at her, almost ten years ago. She had always had an affection for popular Muggle music. Harry knew her favorite song was an oldie by a group called Aerosmith. What the band name meant, neither of them had any idea, but Hermione loved to hear "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing". She said that was how she'd always felt about life with him. She never wanted to miss a minute. He had to admit that he really could stay awake just to hear her breathing, and watch her smile as she slept. He'd missed a whole ten years' worth of things with her. And while she was gone, this was one of the things he'd sorely missed. The ability to just look at her.

Harry couldn't stand any longer to sit, his heart feeling too tumultuous, so that was how he ended up where he was now. Sitting on the floor, a box of their old things spread out in front of him. There were old love letters, tokens that showed how much they had loved each other even as teenagers. There were cds they'd played and danced to in the moonlight. She loved to dance. It was one of the things she'd spent countless nights teaching him to do when they'd sneak out of the dormitories at Hogwarts when they were supposed to be in bed. It took her the better part of two years to teach him every dance she knew, but by their fifth year, they were probably the best dancers nobody knew of at Hogwarts. They spent the nights together, following the moonlight to whatever room it was brightest in that night, sometimes dancing to the music coming from the small stereo they toted around, or just swaying in silence, wrapped in each other's arms.

The most precious of precious things in the box were the photographs. Another of Hermione's hobbies, besides dancing, was photography. She documented everything, any given chance she had with him, she snapped pictures. She did it so often it was on the verge of annoying. That was how she earned one of two nicknames Harry had for her: Shutterbug, or just Bug for short. He laughed as he picked up a photo of the two of them playing on an ice patch she'd paid someone else to take. The little people in the picture were running, having a fun time when the black haired boy slipped as he held the brunette's hand, pulling her butt first onto the ice next to him, laughing the whole way down. They could not have been more than sixteen at the time.

There was a drawing sitting in with the photo collection. It was one he'd found in one of her diaries after she'd gone. By the date at the bottom of the simple colored pencil illustration next to Hermione's loopy signature, Harry knew it was drawn when they were twelve. It was a recreation of their first kiss. They had been so young and innocent at the time. Hermione had done a fantastic job of making the look in his eye match that of the one he knew she saw right before their lips met. She'd made his nose look really big, and her own eyes too small, but the scenery was great. They were sitting beside the lake at Hogwarts, alone at sunset on an unusually warm night in October in their second year. Hermione had been nagging Harry and Ron to get some studying done, but as always, Harry didn't listen to her. He instead convinced her to sneak out with him again. They spent the rest of the evening alone together, cuddled together watching the giant squid swim. It was right as the sun was disappearing over the water when Hermione took her head from Harry's shoulder and placed her hand on his chin, turning his face to hers. Just like in the romance novels she loved, the pulse of the world stopped for them. Harry caught his breath as he leaned in to her, gently taking her bottom lip between his, tasting this miracle for the first time. He remembered so clearly the butterflies, the shock at what she really tasted like, and how it felt to have her soft breath mixing with his in the air between them as they prolonged the kiss, neither any more willing to break the liplock than the other.

It amazed Harry even now how he found himself so infatuated with a stubborn, bushy-haired, buck-toothed know-it-all at the age of twelve, nevertheless that he actually married her almost a year and a half after that kiss. But whatever drew him to her, it was still pulling him now. Harry stood up against the base board of the bed, shaking his sleeping legs awake, and looked at her.

He remembered everything about her, from the way she tasted to the way she smelled. He remembered the look in her eye as she opened them for the first time every morning. He remembered the feel of her soft body folding underneath his hard physique the first time they'd made love. He knew they had been way too young when they'd tumbled into bed together for the very first time. They should have waited until they were older. Much older. Sirius and Remus had been right when they were trying to talk him out of it as he drank the last sip of the aging potion Hermione had made. But something stronger than he'd ever felt before in thirteen years had told him he knew what he was doing. He could have had her all those years growing up anyway, whether they'd been married or not, but there was something extremely intimate about marriage. He needed her to be that close to him. He needed to know that no matter what, she was behind him. He'd gone without loving or being loved for thirteen years. And now here was this girl who had proved she loved him as much as he was afraid to love her.

Was he glad they'd gone through with it? By all means, yes. But in hindsight, they took extreme risks that no thirteen year olds should take. As proved by what happened when they were twenty, he felt he was very literally putting her life in danger. Had Voldemort found out any earlier than he did, he could have tried to kill Hermione sooner. And if in case he had, she was too young and inexperienced to defend herself. She'd of course argue with that and bring up the point that she had faced him before and lived, but Harry had taken a vow to protect her.

Even if it wasn't said directly in the exchange of wedding vows, all the time he was promising to love her forever, in the back of his mind, he was promising more. She had promised her life to him, and hers was a life he'd protect at all costs.

He got goosebumps on his arms as he looked at her sleeping peacefully in his bed and recalled watching her fall in the Department of Mysteries. He'd rushed to her, Neville too, and checked to make sure she was alive. As far as Neville knew, they were checking on their friend. In fact, Harry Potter was checking on his wife, by far the most cherished person in his life. Fifteen years old, married, and inches from death because of him. He'd almost put a stop to their love affair right then, because the thought of her dying because of him was too much for him to bear. He loved her too much. Too much to risk losing her like that. He remembered being unbelievably close to tears when Neville had pronounced he had found her pulse. He had her blood all over him and look what could have happened.

Harry shook the thoughts from his head. What happened fifteen years ago was just that: fifteen years ago. It was no use thinking about it now. Regardless of all they went through, she was alive. She was right there in front of him. And she continued to fight alongside him every time they went to battle whatever the Dark wizards threw their way. She continued to stand up for him to Voldemort…

The thought hit Harry like a ton of bricks. _Hermione could stand up to Voldemort!_ It slapped him that Hermione, the girl he'd known for what felt like forever, was his shot at overthrowing the power of Voldemort forever. His Auror mind was working at breakneck speed, though it was three in the morning. If he could get her to a battle, protect her until they got themselves near to Voldemort, she could make it so Harry could finally destroy him. He knew she was powerful enough to hold her own against her bloodline, and weaken Voldemort so Harry could take a crack at him. It was crazy enough that it just might work. There were kinks in his plan, as his plans always have when they first come to existence, but that was another place she could help him. Harry didn't want to get his hopes too high as he moved around the corner of the bed, intent on waking her up. He wanted so badly to be out of the job he had now. If she agreed to work with him, maybe, just maybe, there was hope after all that their children might someday see a world free of the terror that is Voldemort.

"Hermione. Hermione, wake up…"

_Meanwhile…_

Sirius had left Lauren asleep on his couch. He was walking alone in London, trying to remember which street to turn on to get to the Leaky Cauldron. He hadn't been there in so long, instead preferring to frequent the Three Broomsticks, but since the incident with Lauren and Harry, he hadn't been back. That's not to say that he would never go back. It's just that he wanted to get drunk without anymore reminders about why he was trying to get sloshed in the first place. He didn't need to be there. He had enough ghosts in his own mind that he could barely deal with. He just wanted some whiskey.

He pulled the door open and stepped into the desolate pub. There were small candles on each table, but the flames were so low that they hardly made any difference. Sirius crossed the floor amid stares from the patrons. He would never get used to having his face recognized. He thought about how he was either a criminal or a hero to all these people. He had fathered the woman who was key in the downfall of Voldemort and he himself had devoted what little of his life he had left to defeating the monster. That made him respectable to some. Others, those who were hard up for a good conspiracy story, still believed he had joined forces with the man nobody knew to be his father and was the reason his best friend was dead. They still thought he wanted to murder the father of his grandchildren. Nothing could be farther from the truth, of course. He loved Harry as much as he loved his daughter and their two children. But some people had nothing better to do with their lives than sit on a barstool and discuss long-solved cases.

He plopped down on the hardback chair at a table in the middle of the room, just to prove he could stand the stares. He had yet to decide whether he was proving to the others he didn't care about how long they looked, or to himself. Either way, he was grateful for the distraction when a pretty blonde sauntered up to him. She had a nametag attached to a white polo pulled too tight across her breasts. Glancing quickly at it and averting his eyes to keep his dignity, he saw her name: Michelle.

"What can I get for you?" she asked in a voice kin to a kitten purr. Thoughts went through his male mind that weren't appropriate to speak aloud. She was cute, but looked young. Hermione was probably older than this woman was. It was totally out of character for him to sleep with a stranger, but it had been far too long since he'd had anyone near him, and he was human, after all. Since his daughter was born, and the whole time he'd known her as a teenager, he'd had trouble crawling into bed with just anybody, like he'd done when he was hardly any older than his teenaged daughter. It never used to phase him, but something about Hermione made him feel guilty, and woke him up to the risks that were involved. Given, had he always had the same attitude he had now, he wouldn't have had a child at all. It just went to show that sometimes good things come from even the most heavy mistakes a man could make. But right then, he needed a woman, and if you forgave him the pun, this one had pretty much fallen in his lap.

"A night with you would be nice, but since you're busy, I'll take a fire whiskey." He toyed.

"Oh, you're bold aren't you? Well, Mr. Black… Oh don't look surprised. Everybody knows your face, if not your name… I like boldness. It's rare I meet a man who can match just how bold I am. I get off in an hour. We can get out of here. I certainly don't want to drink the alcohol I'll need for tonight in this place. What do you say?"

"Sounds like a plan." He smiled at her as a Mason jar full of beer went flying past his head, obviously thrown from one of the jealous patrons.

Little did Sirius Black know just how much Michelle would be in the coming months, because, just like the creation of his first child, another life was coming to being from his recklessness


	24. She Loved Me

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: SHE LOVED ME**_

Three months later

Harry and Hermione sat across from Sirius and a woman neither of them knew at a corner booth of a new restaurant in Hogsmeade. They were there at Sirius's request, although neither of them were comfortable being with this woman. Both had their suspicions as to why she was there at all, but wouldn't voice them, except to each other.

"Harry, Hermione, I'd like you to meet Michelle Turner. Michelle, meet my daughter, Hermione Black, and my godson, Harry Potter."

"Are you really Harry Potter?" she asked fixedly.

Harry blushed lightly. "Yes. I really am Harry Potter."

"And are you his wife?" she asked Hermione.

"No."

"Are you his girlfriend?"

"No. I'm his ex-wife and the mother of his children."

"Ah. It's good you two are still obviously so comfortable together. You are still friends then?"

Harry and Hermione stared at each other and didn't answer for a while. "In a manner of speaking, you could say we're friends." Harry answered slowly without breaking eye contact with Hermione.

"So, Hermione. You're twenty-nine, right?"

"Yes."

"And you're an Auror?"

"Yes. What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a waitress at the Leaky Cauldron. That's where I met your dad. But of course, you know that."

"No, actually, I didn't know that. Do you have any kids?"

"No. I'm working on that. I thought I was too young to have kids, but things change."

"How young is too young?"

"I'm thirty-three."

Next to an open-mouthed Hermione, Harry choked on his coffee. Sirius was 49, and although he still looked 39, he had no excuse to be dating a 33-year-old.

"What did you mean by 'you're working on that'? What things changed?" Hermione questioned slowly.

Sirius finally spoke up. "Hermione, Harry, Michelle and I have something we have to tell you."

"We're having a baby!" Michelle announced.

"To.. Together?" Hermione stammered.

"Well, yes, that's the general way things happen." Sirius smiled.

"She's pregnant with your baby. Oh my god."

And with that, Hermione had gotten up from her seat, and was out of the restaurant in tears before anyone could give her a second look.

As she watched Hermione go, Michelle got up quickly to excuse herself to the bathroom, leaving Harry and Sirius at the table. Harry sat staring at Sirius, while Sirius couldn't take his eyes off the door.

At long last, Sirius finally spoke. "Well, she didn't take that too well."

Harry looked at him incredulously. "You honestly didn't expect her to, did you?"

Sirius sighed noisily and rested his head on the table. "No. I didn't think it would go well. How well could I expect her to take it when I didn't accept it?"

"You seemed pretty happy to me." Harry said pointedly.

"I was faking it for Hermione's sake. I figured that if she saw I was happy, she'd tone her response down a little. She, of course, saw right through it. I should have known she would. Tell me, what do you think she was thinking as she left?"

"You really want to know what she was thinking? It wasn't very gentle."

"You know what she was thinking?"

"After all these years, I still understand her."

"I still don't get why you two broke up. Try me. What was she thinking?"

"She was thinking that you had messed up pretty bad this time. She was feeling bad for the baby, thinking that it wasn't being born into very good conditions. She knows that you aren't in love with Michelle, and she knows that you are thinking the same thing."

"Am I really that obvious?"

"No, she's your daughter and she loves you. CeCe does that kind of thing to me, too."

"What am I going to do now? I can't take care of a baby!"

"Well, you're going to have to stop being a baby yourself. Grow up, Sirius." Harry said firmly, garnering him a sharp glare from his godfather. He took it in stride and instead kept with telling Sirius what he needed to hear. "I know taking care of a baby's hard. I've done it. But look what happened. CeCe, who was the baby I raised, turned out fine. This baby will, too. Hell, this kid at least has two parents. Charlie and CeCe didn't. If I can raise two kids, you can raise one with the help of a woman."

"I'm talking to my godson about how to raise a baby. This is a little backwards, don't you think?"

"Well, life happens. What are you going to do right now?"

"I think I'll go see a friend of mine. Her name's Senorita Margarita."

"That's not an option. The last time you got drunk, you got another kid out of the deal. That's two times you've gotten drunk and gotten a woman pregnant. Given, I love the results of your drunken ventures, because if you hadn't gotten overly friendly with the bottle, I wouldn't have a woman I loved and two kids of my own, but you have to stop. I think you need to go home."

"And if Hermione's there?"

"She's not. That's where I'm going."

"What?"

"I'm going to go find Hermione."

"You know where she went? How?"

"You forget that I'm in love with her, even if she doesn't realize it. I know where she went. I know where she's been going every night for five months."

"So you are in love with her, then?"

"Yes."

"Where has she been going, and how could you possibly know? Have you been following her?"

"No, I haven't followed her. I just still understand her. She's been going to the ocean. Somewhere on the coast of France pretty close to Italy. It supposedly calms her, helps her think."

"Ah. I might try reading a page from her book."

"Okay, do that."

"No, I really am going to go see a friend."

"Remus?"

"Yeah. He'll knock some sense into me."

"Oh yeah, that's good ol' Remus."

"Hum, might as well talk about my cousin, too." Sirius frowned.

"Let them do it themselves. Tonks has a crush on him, and I bet he knows. Have you ever known Tonks not to get as she wants?"

"She's like my little sister, though! He had better take care of her. If he breaks her heart, I'll kill him."

"You'll kill your last remaining best friend?"

"Okay, I'll wound him. Critically."

"Uh huh. Behave yourself, Sirius." And Harry walked from the restaurant, following his gut instincts to find his former wife.

Sirius sat kicked back in the softest recliner of his best friend's house, a beer in one hand, a remote in the other. Remus was making dinner in the small kitchen just off the living room where Sirius sat.

"How'd Hermione take the news?" Remus called from the stove.

"Terribly. She stormed out of the restaurant in tears." Sirius grumbled.

"Did you expect anything else?"

"You sound like Harry."

"Then it must be true. What'd Harry say?"

"That I was just going to have to step up to the plate. When I told him I didn't know how, he said 'neither did I, and I still survived."

"He did well with those kids." Remus said as he brought two steaming plates into the room, set one down in front of Sirius and toke a seat in the recliner opposite his friend.

Sirius glared at Remus. "Hey, I'm just telling you." Remus held his hands up in mock surrender. "You should listen to him."

"I'd like to know what Hermione thinks. I wonder if she'll ever talk to me again." Sirius looked away.

"Hell, Sirius, that girl loves you more than air. What do you mean 'will she ever talk to you again'?"

"Why would she? I messed up, Remus, and I pissed her off pretty bad."

"Sirius, once again, that girl loves you. She'll be back, and when she sees you, she will walk up to you, kiss and hug you, and tell you she loves you. She won't turn her back on you. You may deserve it, but she won't do it. You lucky man."

"Thanks for all the support. Buddy." Sirius said sarcastically.

"Anytime." Remus smiled back.

Harry found her on the same beach he knew she went to so often. She was standing facing the water on a rock ledge, her arms wrapped around herself, hair blowing around her face.

_God, she's beautiful._ He thought. _I miss her being mine._

"Hey, stranger." he said softly from behind her. He moved up to face the sea next to her. "You alright?"

"Yeah. What did he have to go and do that for? He's really done well this time." she said, a bit begrudgingly.

"He knows, and he is sorry. He was faking being happy for your sake."

"I guessed."

"I told him you would."

"What does he think he is going to do, raising a child?"

"That's where you come in, wouldn't you guess?"

"Excuse me?"

"He's going to need all the help he can get. You are a good mother, I'm a good father, and between the two of us, we can figure out how to teach him and Michelle what to do. They will need us."

"You really think so?"

"Yes, I do."

"I'll be teaching my own father how to raise a child. This will be so weird." She laughed, a low, smooth laugh that sent Harry soaring.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"I don't really have a choice, do I? Yes, I'm ready for it."

"Good. Let's go tell your dad how to be a dad." Harry chuckled as he led her away from the edge of the cliff.


	25. Please Remember Me

_**CHAPTER TWENTY: PLEASE REMEMBER ME**_

Seven months later (July 8th, 2009)

The small group of people walked home in the warm July night air. It was a little past 2 a.m., and all of them were tired from the long hours they'd spent dancing, and then the three mile walk home that was only half-completed. The only thing that kept them going was the adrenaline and the promise of a nice warm bed to fall into when they reached home. Remus and Tonks led the group, arm in arm, Sirius and Michelle following. She was seven months pregnant, and so far, under Harry and Hermione's coaching, had managed to take good care of herself and her unborn child. Sirius was counting the days until he'd be a father again, and was anxious to be a part of this baby's life. He smiled over his shoulder at his daughter, who was walking silently a comfortable distance from Harry. Harry had been casting Hermione sideward glances all night. All the while they'd been at the dancing club, she hadn't allowed him a dance. Not a single spin around the floor. She'd instead been absorbed in a classically good-looking man who worked in Muggle Relations in the Ministry. This guy had been tall, clean-cut, had a long face and what seemed to Harry to be an even longer nose. His teeth were sparkling white and he had lips that parted into a winning smile at the slightest prompt. Watching him twirl Hermione around the hardwood to a variety of songs had been a terrible thing for Harry, only made marginally better by the fact that he was watching them over the shoulder of a very attractive honey-of-a-blonde who was too absorbed in running her hands all over Harry to notice that he was paying her no attention.

He looked over at her then, the moonlight casting shadows across one part of her face. Her full brown hair shown under the dim streetlights, her eyes glinted. Harry looked ahead to see the two couples walking ahead, both beaming each other. Harry chuckled as he wondered whether Remus and Tonks would remember this in the morning. Hermione smiled to herself when she heard Harry laugh and realized what he was laughing about.

All were making their way down a deserted alley when Hermione felt herself develop chicken skin. Her Auror senses kicked in. Harry was touching shoulders with her instantly, Remus seemed to sober at once, drew his wand, grabbed Tonks roughly, and pulled her back toward Harry and Hermione. Sirius had already forced Michelle into a crouching position where his body and the legs of the others would block anything coming towards her. Michelle had her wand at the ready under Sirius's arm. Every one of the six people were braced and ready for action when the first spell was sent their way from a shadowed corner. The fight had begun.

When the dust cleared, there were seven Death Eaters Stunned on the concrete, and four heaving Aurors standing over them. Remus's eye was blackened and swollen shut, he had bruises sprouting from both cheeks, and a nasty gash just above his ankle that was bleeding profusely. Tonks looked like she had sustained a concussion, for she was ghostly pale and not able to stand or see straight through the pain. Hermione's wrist was snapped, her nose bleeding. A slash on the top of her head had matted her hair with blood. Harry's face was scraped from the instant when a spell had shattered his glasses, sending glass skidding down his face, which was now almost unrecognizable through all the blood and shards of glass still sunk deeply into his skin. That left.

"Where's my dad?" Hermione asked, fearing the worst. "Where's Michelle?"

Michelle emerged from behind a dumpster, coming across as spooked but seemingly physically unharmed. "I'm fine," she said as Remus hobbled to her side. "Where is Sirius?" Fear was painfully evident in her voice.

Harry moved silently away from the group and set off down the alley way a little further. He didn't want to believe his guess at where Sirius had gone, but what he saw next forced him to. Sirius lay sprawled on the pavement, badly beaten and no longer losing blood. He was gone again. Harry heard Hermione shuffle to his side, and was prepared to catch her as she fell to the ground, not bothering to stifle the sobs.

Sirius struggled against his bonds as he was carted off down the street. A large Death Eater had him slung over his shoulder, with four others following in his wake. Sirius had been tied and gagged. He finally managed to work the gag loose, spit it out, and bit his captor as hard as he possibly could on the back of the neck. The Death Eater howled in pain and threw Sirius unceremoniously onto the ground. Sirius did his best to try to get out of the binds, but was forced to roll when the Death Eater attempted to squash the life out of him by throwing his heavy body on top of Sirius's lean one. All he could think of was getting back to his girlfriend and his daughters. He achieved momentary freedom when he worked the ropes around his ankles loose and set out at a break-neck run. He was tackled once again by another Death Eater and tumbled to the ground wrestling with him. His head was forced down hard to the pavement. He felt his nose break, and then was blanketed in blackness.

Hermione stared down at her father's lifeless body, spread out in front of her. She was still crying, but couldn't have been heard over the commotion being made by Michelle. Harry, as seemed to be his favorite habit, was at Hermione's side, strong arms holding her. She gazed into his face and found he was tearing up, as well. She framed his face with her palms, and smiled through her tears. "You didn't cry like this last time." she whispered. He put his hand over hers on his cheek. "I did, you just didn't see it. Nobody saw it." Hermione threw her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder, him squeezing her to him tightly, not able to comfort himself, much less her.

"Well, hey, how's the sperm donor of the century doing?" Sirius sneered at the man standing in front of him. Voldemort glared at his son. How could something produced by himself and a fine-blooded woman turn out like this? He reared back and put a well-placed strike into Sirius's nose. Sirius felt it shatter again from the blow and blood begin to pour down his face and into the collar of his shirt.

"Tell me, _Dad_, why I am I here?"

"Because it's easier to control distraught minds, especially daughters mourning their apparently dead fathers."

"How would she think I'm dead if there's no body?"

"There is a body. One of my numbers betrayed me, and now has your appearance. Your daughter won't know the difference."

_I wouldn't put it past her to figure it out, _Sirius thought wryly. _She's closer to me than that._ "Why am I not dead?"

"There's no sense in killing you quite yet. I've got more for you to come."

"Damn."


	26. You're Still Here

**_CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: YOU'RE STILL HERE_**

Two days later (July 10th, 2009)

Harry and Hermione were seated next to each other, neither listening to the priest presiding over the service. Right in front of them was a casket that contained what was left of Hermione's father. She had finished crying long before, and instead now sat staring into space, listening to others faking tears all around her. Harry was much like her. He had his hands folded in his lap and was staring at them intently. Michelle was nowhere to be seen, and hadn't been seen since she walked out of St. Mungo's the night Sirius had died.

They were placed right by the Whomping Willow, where Sirius was to be laid to rest. All of his adventures with his friends had started there, and that was where Remus, Hermione, and Harry had deemed an appropriate place for his to end. Hermione glanced over to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where, to her amazement, a beautiful stag stood proudly watching the commencement. Hermione nudged Harry and watched as his jaw fell.

"Wow. How suiting." He smiled.

"Harry, do you feel right about this?"

_Oh God_, Harry thought,_ she knows I still love her. Why are we having this conversation now, of all times?_ "Feel right about what?"

"Dad. There's something not right about all this. We don't know how he died, and frankly, well, I don't get it." she said weakly.

_Of course. I should have known she wasn't thinking about us. _"Hermione, that's his body in the box. What don't you get?" he asked in amazement."

"This is going to sound way crazy and maybe I'm just demented with grief, but, I don't think that's him. I don't think he's dead."

"You're going straight home and going to bed. I don't care if I have to carry you to bed, I will." _I lied. I do mind. Everybody has sex after funerals. Right? _

"Ah, damn, I knew you wouldn't understand." she growled, shaking her head and turning away from him.

The service ended, and, choosing to skip the reception, Remus and Hermione walked to the Hogwarts gates and Apparated back to Remus's house, where a bizarre surprise awaited them in a bundle on the front doorstep.

Remus stood gaping at the small figure at his feet. Wanting to do anything but look at the shape, he turned to Hermione to see her white in the face and ogling at it, too.

Under the folds of the blankets lay a note addressed to Remus. It read:

_Remus_

_Her name is Emily Thea Black. Sirius picked her name. He said he wanted her call name to be Emily Thea. She was born July 9th, at 8:38am, 20 in. long and 7 pounds, 7 ounces. Take care of her and raise her right. I don't want to. You're better for the job anyway._

_Michelle _

_PS: The box is for Hermione. I found it in a bag Sirius had._

"Well, that was short, sweet, and to the point." Hermione remarked bluntly as she bent down to pick up the box that was underneath the baby Remus had just picked up. Inside the box was five letters addressed to her. One from each her mother, her father, James, Lily, and Remus. She'd read them later. Piled on top of the letters was a beautiful diamond and pink sapphire cross necklace. The note attached was from her dad, saying this was a cumulative gift from all five of the people that loved her most, given to her on the day she was born.

"She wants me to raise her baby. What was she thinking?" Remus struggled to form the words. He was in a state of total shock and disbelief.

"I say she's right. You're much better qualified to raise my sister than her mother is."

"Hermione."

"What? Remus, I'm telling you, for once in her life, she was right. Besides, I'm right here beside you, and you're gonna do fine."

"I've had hardly any experience. The only babies I really knew was you, Harry, and your kids. And now I have to raise her." He glanced down at the sleeping newborn and watched as she snuggled closer to his chest. As much as he was scared of the harmless little child in his arms, he could tell that he loved her almost as much as he loved the woman standing next to him. Her sister. He shook his head to clear it and handed the infant to Hermione. "I can't do this. She deserves better than me and anything I could ever give her."

Hermione looked up from the baby and into Remus's stormy gray eyes. "Remus, you can do this. She can't get any better than you. You are my father's last friend, and I doubt he'd want anyone else than the man he already entrusted the care of his oldest daughter to to raise his younger one. What do you think?"

"Hermione, I've got no supplies, not enough money to get any, barely a home. I've got nothing for her."

"Remus, Babe, you're wrong. You have everything in the world to give her. You can raise this baby. You can be there for her, you can teach her morals and help her grow. You can love her. That's all she really needs. And, face it, Moony, you need someone to take care of and love as much as she needs what you can give. You two need each other. I'll help you with the money, and the care. She's my sister, and now she'll be as much your daughter as she is Dad's."

Remus could only look at the lady standing across from him on the porch. She certainly was Sirius's daughter, always acting on whims and tumbling into things with blind faith that what she was doing was right. Whether he thought he could take care of a baby or not, she thought he could and had already made the decision for him. She was in the house and had seated herself on the couch, her baby sister in held safe in her arms. It was all Remus could do to follow her.

Remus sat next to Emily Thea, who was asleep in Remus's spare bedroom in her brand new crib. He and Hermione had already decided to have it painted later. Other than the fact that the walls weren't full of color, the place had been turned into a full blown baby nursery. There was stuffed toys stacked in one corner next to a soft rocking chair, a changing table with diapers and wipes stacked neatly on the shelf under it in another corner, and a toy box in the other corner. The crib occupied the last corner.

The baby slept every night clutching Remus's smallest finger, him rubbing her tiny curled hand. She had her first Healer's appointment in the morning, and to be frank, Remus was a little weary of anyone else touching his baby girl. She was growing quickly. She had a full head of platinum blonde hair and shocking blue eyes. She and her sister could not look any more different, but Hermione had stepped up and formed a close bond with her already. After all, the little baby that her goddaddy had fallen in love with was the only direct link to her dad Hermione had left.

Hermione crept up behind the man and baby and shocked the man when she laid her hands on his shoulders. "Why, Remus, you're glowing like a new mother!" Hermione exclaimed in a whisper when a smile from Remus greeted her. Remus laughed.

"I'm head-over-heals in love with this baby. I just can't believe I'm a father. She may not be biologically mine, but she's mine in every other aspect. I don't think I'll ever have any biological children, but oh well. I've got her."

_You'll have biological children if a certain woman I know has anything to do with it,_ Hermione thought. "You've been a good dad, Remus. I'm proud of you, and I love you." She threw her arms around his neck and planted a big wet kiss on his scruffy cheek. He kissed her back. "I love you, too, Hermione," he said before wrestling her to the ground and tickling her breathless.

Remus sat cuddling little Emily Thea in a very brightly lit, white room. Hermione was silent and staring at her hands beside him. The Healer had just told them the news. Emily Thea was sick, and although it wasn't positively life-threatening, Remus and Hermione were both scared and out of the loop. Emily Thea had an aging disease, almost as if she had ingested an aging potion. The doctor said she should stop growing by the time she hit eleven weeks. The only trips were that her body would be eleven years old, and they weren't entirely sure that she'd stop growing at eleven. It could take longer, it could take less. They'd just have to wait it out.

Remus had been picky about his daughter all week. Hermione knew he was determined to not let her get any more sicknesses, and although she knew it was impossible for him to prevent her from ever getting sick again, especially when she started school in September, she didn't try to stop him. Hell, it wasn't like he could hurt anything. He'd kept her relatively clean, almost to the point of not letting her go outside to play in the dirt. Hermione had stepped in when he mentioned that, saying that a one-year-old child had to play in the dirt, and that he may as well institutionalize her now if he wasn't going to allow her to play. He caved, as he did most of the time when Hermione challenged him. Hermione had been staying with Remus and Emily Thea instead of at her dad's old place ever since Emily Thea arrived. Together, Hermione and Remus were tackling the day-to-day jobs of raising a child. Neither one had raised a child past the point of two, but Harry and Mrs. Weasley were available to coach them.

"Remus," Hermione spoke quietly from the kitchen to avoid waking Emily Thea. "What are you going to do when she realizes that kids have mothers, and that their sisters aren't their primary caretakers?"

Remus sighed. He'd been mulling over the same question since Hermione had asked him what he wanted Emily Thea to call him. He knew she'd been putting off this conversation for a while for his sake. They so far had Emily Thea calling Remus 'Papa' instead of 'Daddy', and had been pretending that Hermione was Remus's special friend, not her sister.

"We'll tell her when she discovers it. We'll tell her everything except that her mother abandoned her. We'll tell her you're her sister, I'm not really her father, and who her real father is."

"How long do you think it is before she finds out? We can't let her go to school thinking that, you know."

"Yeah, I know." Remus griped.


	27. Stealing Kisses

**_CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: STEALING KISSES_**

Two weeks later (July 31st, 2009)

Sirius sat up in the dark of his cell. He'd been there for entirely too long. There was no window in the cell, so he had no idea if it was night or day, or how many days he'd been there. He estimated it to be a couple of months, but knew he was probably way off. If he was right, that meant that his youngest daughter had already been brought into the world. Once again, a baby of his, one he desperately wanted, was living without him. But this time, he truly didn't have even a vague clue as to where she was or who she was with. But he had faith in his other daughter. He held hope that whether he was there or not, she would keep things going and keep track of her sister. She might even be taking care of her sister. There was no doubt in Sirius's mind that Michelle would fall apart and have no idea what to do without him. She was needy and clingy that way. What would she do when she figured out she had to take care of their baby herself? Sirius shuddered to think. He hoped she wouldn't do something stupid like..

Remus walked under the shadows of Hogwarts, Hermione just a few steps ahead of him in the night. They hadn't been to visit Sirius's grave since he was buried, but decided to now. Hermione was still insistent that there was something weird about going there, but Remus had long ago decided that she was still in disbelief and mourning. He couldn't blame her. He missed Sirius, and although he was grateful to be taking care of his daughters, he wanted his friend back. Life seemed a lot more fun when Sirius was around to make sure Remus wasn't serious all the time.

The clouds over the moon shifted as they reached the tombstone. The two of them were bathed in soft moonlight from a nearly-full moon. Remus felt grateful once again that a cure for werewolves was found a few years back. He no longer had to dread 'that time of the month'. It was starting to feel too feminine to him.

Remus moved up next to Hermione and stared down at the marble bearing his friend's name. He heard Hermione try to stifle her tears. It wasn't working as well as she wanted. She bent down and laid a deep red rose at the base, in a pile of the Whomping Willow's leaves, and, tracing over her daddy's name, began to tell him what all had happened since he'd been gone. A hint of her diamonds and sapphires caught light, swinging wildly from the golden chain around her milky white neck. Brown hair fell subtly around tear-stained cheeks. She was the perfect picture of injured innocence. Remus knew better than to think that she was innocent, in fact, she had faced and prevailed over way more than he ever had, but still, she looked so delicate and young, squatting by her father's stone, crying. To think that the bitter, spiteful world would ever put someone so beautiful through so much pain and trials was incomprehensible to him. He turned away from her, wanting to leave her alone in her grief.

"Hermione," he spoke gently, "I'm gonna go home, Hon."

"Okay," he heard her whisper behind him before he started off for the gates.

Harry had been watching the two of them since they got there. Apparently, they all still thought along the same lines. It was Harry's birthday, and he had figured on visiting those he loved who weren't able to be around to celebrate with him. He'd already been to Godric's Hollow to visit his parents, and had was just about ready to visit with his godfather when he saw Hermione and Remus approaching. Not really wanting to talk to either of them, he had retreated behind the enormous trunk of the tree, ready to wait until they left to talk to Sirius. But when he peaked around the tree again, he saw Remus's retreating back, and Hermione still kneeling at Sirius's grave, crying quietly and wiping her eyes. Feeling drawn to her, he stepped out of the shadows and called her name as softly as possible. She turned around, fear mingling with the tears in her eyes. Then recognition and welcome was painted over them.

"Hey, Harry. Happy Birthday." She smiled in spite of herself as he slid onto the ground next to her.

"Thanks." He was uncomfortable sitting there with her, so vulnerable, so open to him, but still felt that there was no place in the world he'd rather be. It was so easy for him to both remember and forget that she was his ex-wife, and the mother of his two children. In a split second, he could forget that he was twenty-nine anything instead of sixteen, and be swept away in his feeling for her. He could be gone from this second, where they were both growing older and far more distant, and return to the times when they were happily infatuated with each other, with much less on their minds. And although as far as he knew, something like that could never happen, he enjoyed the feeling for the brief moment in time it existed. He looked over to her, and watched her lips make a slight curve at him.

Her eyes met his, and without warning for either one of them, he kissed her.

The concern he'd had that he might be taking advantage of her vulnerability by kissing her evaporated as her lips parted under his, allowing him to take more. Her hands slipped around his neck, pulling him closer until they collapsed on the grassy knoll to the side of the grave. Hermione's body was twisting erotically underneath Harry's as he deepened the kiss. His hands fritted over her curves, touching only gently, not aggressively, as he wanted to, for fear of scaring her. She was kissing him back, and this time, he could feel it, her mind and heart were in tune. She knew what she was doing, and wanted to. That little piece of knowledge sent shots of pleasure through Harry's body. He had thought it wasn't possible, but for a fleeting instant, he remembered, more vividly than before, them being teenagers, full of passion and free of binds. Being adults, in some ways, was so much better.

They separated, but only to take a few deep breaths. They were both breathing heavily, Harry's hands on either side of Hermione's head, supporting him. He looked into her eyes, and saw the same sexy, come - here - baby smile in them he had seen on her lips earlier. He lowered his head back to hers, and resumed kissing her all over again.

From high in one of the towers of the school, an old man had pulled back the curtains and was watching the pair below him, chuckling to himself. "You said they'd work it out, Sirius. You were right." he said into thin air.

"Dumbledore, why are you talking to my dead great-great-grandson?" a portrait on the wall asked.

"Because," he pulled the curtain back so the man in the portrait could see the couple out on the grounds, "that would be your great-great-great-granddaughter snogging the famous Harry Potter."

The portrait moaned. "I could have done without seeing that." he whined.

"Sirius said they'd make up, they always do, and look how very right he was. Too bad he's not here to give them static for it." Dumbledore said as he eyed the two of them. "He's probably tossing and turning down in that grave of his." Dumbledore giggled at them again, pulled the curtains down, extinguished the candles, and fell into bed, exhausted but satisfied that he hadn't messed everything up beyond repair. Harry still loved Hermione, and so it seemed, Hermione was being reminded that she loved him back.


	28. Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow

**_CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: LOVE ME LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW_**

Harry, Hermione, and Remus were piled on the couch one evening, watching the others in Remus's living room. Fred, George, and Ron Weasley were sprawled on the floor, Ginny and Michael were perched hap-hazardly in an armchair, and Molly and Arthur were cuddling in the other. They were all talking and laughing in the comfort of half-sleep. Hermione was sitting with her head in the crook of Harry's arm, which was flung carelessly across the back of the couch. Molly was watching them, trying not to smile. She had always felt motherly to Harry, and although she had scorned Hermione while they were in school, thinking that she was playing Harry, when the truth had come out into the open, that she and Harry were married the whole time, and she was Sirius's daughter, Molly had apologized profusely and accepted Hermione. She didn't ever regret it. She was happy that the two of them seemed to be working things out.

Just as they were all drifting off to la-la land, a sharp knock resounded in their heads. Harry was on his feet, wand drawn in an instant, dropping Hermione from her new position on his chest abruptly. Hermione sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes, grumbling at him. When she realized what he was doing, she was right beside him, Remus, too, after having checked on Emily Thea and the other kids. He walked cautiously to the door, shoulder-to-shoulder with Harry. He pulled it open and was horrified by the person he saw.

Michelle was standing under the porch light, pale face and blonde hair in a frenzy. She had black bags under her eyes, red slashes across her cheeks, and her clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in weeks. Remus grabbed her under her elbows and dragged her into the house and clear to the kitchen, where he went to fixing tea for her, and Molly began fussing with her cuts. The only one of them, besides Remus, that didn't wear a look of astonishment on their face was Hermione, who was glaring at Michelle, hatred written on every crease in her face. She stood next to the stove, with Harry, as ever instinctively, beside her. The rest of them lined the walls, shoulder to shoulder. It had been a while since anyone had seen Fred or George not smiling, Arthur looking totally shocked. Ron's eyes were darting between Hermione and Michelle, obviously picking up on his friend's feelings. Ginny and Michael, who were on Harry's other side, were holding hands and pursing their lips.

"I'm sorry to barge in on you, Remus, but I've been traveling for a while to get here." Michelle grinned faintly. Remus grunted in reply. He had nothing to say to a woman who would dump her daughter on the doorstep of the father's best friend's doorstep on the day of the father's funeral. When Remus didn't respond to her satisfaction, Michelle turned to Hermione and was surprised by the ice in Hermione's angry stare. Michelle looked around the room to see most people were wearing looks similar to Hermione's, just watered down a bit.

"Remus, Hermione, could I speak with you two alone, please?" Michelle requested. Remus nodded and everyone began to clear out of the kitchen, to Hermione's full knowledge that, thanks to George and Fred, everyone would know what happened anyway. When Harry began to move away from Hermione, she stopped him by laying a hand on his arm, and begging him silently to support her. He stayed, thoughts of another, less supportive man Hermione knew coming to mind. He was still a little bitter towards Brad. _Watch this. I'll show you how it's done._

"Listen," Michelle began when everyone had left. "I didn't mean to do what I did. I was scared. I couldn't raise a daughter. I want her back, now, though. Really, I think I can raise her now." Michelle's voice got tougher as she finished.

"Michelle, I don't..." Remus started, but wasn't allowed to finish.

"You can't have her back!" Hermione put in. Harry and Remus, neither of which had expected Hermione to say anything, were taken aback at how strong she looked. "You abandoned her, left her when you had no idea how her life would turn out, without any warning to the people you were leaving her with! You can't just waltz in, in another unexpected visit, and take her, not when we're attached to her! She's a part of this family and that's the way she'll stay, damn it! Abandoning her child is not something a competent mother does!" Hermione yelled.

"I was scared, Hermione! What was I supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to stay! That's what mothers do."

"You abandoned your son and daughter, Hermione, remember?" Michelle whispered in a deadly and accusatory tone. Hermione saw red.

"Were - you - in - a - life - threatening - situation - Michelle?" Hermione said slowly. "Or did it not suit you to have a child? I didn't leave my kids by choice. I was going to die. If I stayed, whether I fought it or not, I would have been killed. By taking the action I did, I lived to see them all again. I regret deeply every day that I missed seven years of their lives. I wanted them. I did not abandon them, nor will I ever. How dare you say that to me?" Hermione said hotly. Harry was wearing a look of pain, anger, disgust, all mixed together with a splash of shock on his face, wondering why Sirius was interested in this woman to begin with.

Before Michelle could respond to Hermione's words, a small, innocent voice, full of fear, shattered the air.

"Papa, what's going on?" Every adult in the room spun to see little two-year-old Emily Thea, dressed in her favorite night shirt, looking horrified at Hermione, the woman she was yelling at, Harry, and her papa. Remus rushed forward and scooped her up. "Come on, Emily Thea, let's go back to bed, honey." He hurried out of the room with her, not wanting her to see Hermione's fury, which, he had to admit, was kind of scaring him, too.

Michelle looked stricken. "That was my daughter?" she looked questioningly at Harry and Hermione, standing side by side across the counter from her.

"No," Hermione answered. "That was Remus's daughter, my father's daughter, and my sister. I don't care if half of her DNA is yours, she's ours, and you can't have her." The finality was evident in the way she spoke, and Harry, taking the clue she subconsciously gave him, walked around to escort Michelle to the door. When he returned, Hermione was perched on the counter, fuming, tearing up because she was so frustrated. Harry walked to her, bundled her in his arms, and held her close until she calmed down.

Remus, after much talking, had convinced Emily Thea to go back to bed. She still wasn't entirely contented with the explanation as to what was going on that he had offered her, but in the end, he was the daddy, and said she had to go to bed, so she did. He sat next to her on her brand new big-girl bed, rubbing her tiny back and thinking, far past mad at her mother. How could she just barge in on them like that? He had just been getting the hang of this whole fatherhood thing, and was enjoying it to the fullest extent. Why did she have to come and mess this all up for him? For once, he had somebody who loved him without hesitation, and never failed to tell him so. To think that she might be taken away from him was terrifying him, making it too hard to think about. He got himself up, knowing he had to go back to the kitchen before Hermione committed murder in the first degree.

When he entered the kitchen and found Harry and Hermione in there alone, he was stunned. "What happened?" he asked Harry.

"Hermione chewed Michelle's ass up one side and down the other and then sent her on her way. I, for one, was very proud of her." Harry sent her a smile of comfort. She gladly returned it.

"What'd you say? Is she ever coming back?" Remus grinned through the words, against his will and better judgment.

"She asked if the little girl was her daughter, and I said no. I told her that she was your daughter, she was my father's daughter, she was my sister, and that I didn't care if half of Emily Thea's DNA was hers, Emily Thea belonged to this family, and that is how it's going to be."

"Then I ushered her to the door. I don't think she'll come back. Not unless she wants to have a real go at a very pissed off Hermione. That can get ugly, coming from a voice of experience." Harry said in a playful voice, winking at Hermione.

"Oh, kiss my ass, Harry." Hermione retorted slyly.

Looking very much like he wanted to do just that, Harry smiled. Walking flirtatiously, he ambled over to Hermione. To keep her from embarrassing herself in front of Remus, Harry resisted the urge to 'kiss it', and instead placed a gentle hand on the back of her neck, drew her face towards his, and kissed her, lingering on those luscious lips of hers. They tasted better than they ever had, because, after so long, he was kissing her in front of someone else, and she wasn't protesting the slightest. Remus chuckled and watched them, pleased that Harry was finally getting what Remus knew he'd missed for so long. To say he was happy for Harry and Hermione was understating it.

"Good night, Hermione." Harry whispered as his brow rested against hers. He was being overcome with emotions, some so strong he felt like he no longer had the strength to stand at all. Kissing her once more, he moved off, purposely ramming into Remus with his shoulder in a friendly way. "'Night, Moony."

"'Night, Harry." Remus punched his shoulder companionably, snickering.

After Harry had left for bed, Remus rounded on Hermione and jumped up on the counter beside her. "So, how long has that been going on?" he questioned, a small mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"What? Oh, the kissing thing? About eight hours." she replied, without actually looking at him.

"Eight hours ago, you were with me."

"No, eight hours ago, I was alone with Dad. You hadn't been gone thirty seconds before Harry stepped out of the shadows. One thing led to another, and, well, it all started there." She smiled, remembering how good it was to willingly taste him again. He always had been so gentle with her..

"Your poor father must be having a jamboree up there. He knew this would happen." Remus threw an arm around her shoulders and brought her closer.

"The only person who didn't know this would happen was me." Hermione said.

"True enough."

Hermione jabbed him in the ribs.

"I don't deserve him."

"What makes you think that?" Remus asked

"Because. All those years, he was still in love with me. He never even enjoyed, to some degree, any women because they weren't me. I didn't stay faithful. I married. He was true the whole time. I really don't deserve what he's so willing to give me."

"Hermione, you deserve it because he wants you to deserve it. That's all it takes. He loves you. I've never known one person to love another so much, so powerfully. He still wants you, and always did. Consider yourself lucky. It's a blessing to have someone love you like that."

"Remus, have you ever been in love?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Yeah, once, but she married someone else that went to school with us. Great guy. I knew him well enough. I was even at the wedding. Had a kid. I don't ever see her anymore."

"Why didn't you ever get married?"

"I don't know. I guess it wasn't meant to be. You and Harry, though, you two are meant to be. Besides, if I had gotten married, I wouldn't have you here like this, and I probably wouldn't have Emily Thea like this. I wouldn't want it any other way."

"I love you Remus, I really do, more than you'll ever realize." Hermione leaned against him, close to falling asleep.

"I love you, too, kiddo, and thanks for sticking up so strongly to keep Emily Thea here. I don't know what I'd do without that girl."

Giggling, Hermione answered, "It was my pleasure. Tell me I was right about the two of you."

"You were right."

"Ah, what beautiful words." Chuckling, Hermione kicked off the counter. "'Night Remus."

"Night."

Remus called in the next night, saying he and Tonks were taking Emily Thea and Ron's kids out to pizza in Muggle London, and that Hermione and Harry were welcome to join them. Neither feeling really up to going out with four kids to meet other kids, they stayed in, camping out on the couch. Hermione took the liberty of ordering Chinese food. "Steel Magnolias" was on the television, one of Hermione's favorite movies from her time in the States. She sat, legs curled underneath her, crying into her rice. Harry, who was having trouble keeping from laughing, sat trying his best not to look at her. She looked so cute, eyes all red, a soaked tissue forgotten in her hand. When Julia Roberts died, she was sobbing into his shoulder. Harry accidentally laughed.

"Oh, you pig! How can you possibly laugh at a time like this? Does this not affect you at all?" Hermione slugged him in the center of the chest.

_Yeah, Babe, it affects me a lot. You looked so damn cute crying over her, I'll have to thank her the next time I see her. _"Yeah, I'll have to wish her happy death days the next time I see her walking the streets in LA," Harry joked.

"Shut up, Harry." Hermione laughed through her tears.

"No problem. Here, let me make you feel better." he pushed her shoulders down onto the couch, and kissed her all over the place, everywhere except her lips. He kissed her nose, her eyes, her cheeks, her forehead, everywhere until she got frustrated and kissed his mouth instead, and didn't stop.

Trying to tell him no wasn't working well for Hermione. They were skirting around Hermione's bed, Hermione trying to stay as far away from it as possible. But as much as she was trying, she found herself being drawn to Harry, who was inching closer and closer to the exact place he was worried she wasn't going to go. He knew she was trying not to kiss him, but was also fully aware that she wasn't resisting all that hard. She was right up against him, pushing against his bare chest with hers, still-fully clothed, much to his dismay. As slowly as was possible for him, he raised his hands off her butt and placed them on her breasts, stroking her nipples with his thumbs in small circles. He felt them stiffen beneath his fingers, under the thin shield of her blouse, sending his mind and heart into a frenzy. They were being swept away, as wave after wave of pleasure was enjoyed together. Harry was, more than he ever had been, afraid of her. He feared he was going too far, but knew she would let him know if he was.

"Harry, stop. Please." He did, no questions asked. "Harry," she said again, whispering this time. "I'm scared."

A look of sympathy, and a flicker of pain, came to his face. Taking her chin in his hand, "Of what?" he asked.

"Of you. Of us. What if I'm not really what you want anymore? What if this is a mistake?"

"Hermione Honey," she drew in a breath. 'Hermione Honey' was his pet name for her from when they were kids. "Have you ever known me to hold on to something this hard, for so long? If I didn't want you, I would have let go a long time ago. I didn't, though, did I?"

"No, you didn't, but Harry, what if what we are doing is wrong?"

"Do you think it's wrong?" he asked simply.

Hermione looked at him. He was sitting, waiting patiently for her answer. Waiting patiently. Isn't that what he's been doing all this time? Waiting patiently for her. She must have been crazy thinking this wasn't right.

"Say it." she challenged him.

"I want you, and I love you. Still. I always have."

"How'd you know what I wanted you to say?"

"I know you inside and out, Hermione." Rising off the bed, coming toward her slowly, he wrapped her in his arms, but didn't kiss her. "Are you ready for this?" Meeting his gaze evenly, she nodded, and this time, she was the one who initiated the kiss. Having her do so hit Harry hard, taking his breath away. She was responding to his every caress. She was no longer any more a stranger to him than she ever had been. She was his best friend, his lover, his everything. Back in his arms again was right where she belonged. Her breath was coming in hot, fast gasps on his neck, her chest heaving in an erotic way. Taking care not to move as fast as he wanted to, he tore his lips from the base of her sexy neck and began devouring her lips, all the while letting her pull him towards the bed. She had him by the collar, never feeling satisfied that he was close enough, even if there wasn't hardly a fraction of an inch between them. Her knees made contact with the bed behind her, buckling them and causing Harry to collapse onto her. Pinned beneath his glorious body, she paused for a moment to feel his heart with hers.

"Harry, our hearts are beating in sync." Amazement coated her murmur.

"I told you so." Harry mumbled into her hair.

"Told me what?"

"I told you this was right. I love you, Hermione." She didn't bother with answering. Instead, without breaking eye contact with the man on top of her, she slowly reached down, pulling open the first button on his jeans. She smiled when he grew hard beneath her fingers. Words failed Harry right then. All he could do was make sure to keep his weight on his arms, poised above her, and try to contain himself as she drove him crazy with simple strokes of fingertips over the little bits of flesh she was exposing with each touch to his jean buttons. He could hardly hold back when her fingers finally made full contact with the deepest part of him. She caressed him, occasionally adding small, teasing kisses to her roam over what made him a man. Once more, Harry had been assured that he couldn't live without that woman in his life. When he began unhooking the buttons on her blouse with trembling hands, she knew that he was as scared as she was, but had faith that what he was doing was perfectly right. One by one, the hooks hiding her from him came undone, revealing to Harry flesh he'd only been dreaming of for so long. He pulled her up to eye level with him, pulling her lacy bra off in the process. Cupping her breasts to his hands, oh, Lord, how they fit so well, he swallowed her moan of pleasure. He could feel her skin becoming wet against his, slick and slippery, ready for him. Harry lost what little control he had over the speed of things. He ventured down her body to her smooth slacks, and tore. The button broke completely off the clothing, the tiny zipper coming apart in his haste to touch her. Shoving aside the thin fabric of her panties, his fingers entered her, hard and rough against smooth and warm. She cried out against his chest. Pleasure shot through her body like lightening, causing her to buck and shudder. Harry watched as she caved to the feeling, her eyes clouding over as the sensation subsided. She was still quivering slightly, his fingers still resting inside her.

God, she'd missed this. Longing filled the taste of the kisses shared. Years and years had separated them, had changed their bodies, but still, each knew what to do and when to do it to send the other one skyrocketing in ecstasy. The pace once again slow, Harry slide softly into her, rocking back and forth with her. Assuming her position, she followed him, every step he took, the same way they had hundreds of times before. The feeling of her tightening around him made Harry wish he could die like this, this free, feeling like he could fly. Whispering to her, he made a request, "Hermione Honey, open your eyes. I want you to let me see this." Obediently, she did, and Harry got to enjoy the look of what he was doing to her wash over her. Unable to hold back, he gave one last rocking move, and sighed as he emptied himself into her.

Resting together in the bed later, Hermione's breath was still gone. Harry was falling asleep next to her, chest rising and falling, in one of the most tranquil moments Hermione had ever experienced. The early morning sun was falling across his soft face. A tear trickled down Hermione's cheek.

"Harry," she whispered into his ear, knowing he heard what she said. "I love you." She meant it with all her heart and soul. As he rolled over, she watched his lips curl into the smile she had come to crave, and they made love one more time before he said delicately, "I love you, too, more than you could ever know."

Stark naked, Harry hobbled out of Hermione's bedroom and to the bathroom. He forgot that in the process, he had to pass two other bedrooms. Unbeknownst to him, those two bedrooms were occupied. With eyes half shut, whole body aching from the extreme workout he'd had with her last night, he stumbled down the hall, walking headlong into a wall. Or so he thought.

"Harry, is there a reason you're walking my hall, butt naked, in plain sight of my daughter, when you should be at work?"

Harry cracked open one eye, and watched Remus try to hold back a laugh. Emily Thea wasn't bothering. She was standing in her doorway to Harry's left, laughing as hard as her little body could handle. "Yeah," he replied smartly to Remus. "I had to pee."

"Well, you could try some pants. And, what the hell are you doing in Hermione's room with no clothes on?" Remus had a mischievous glint in his eye.

At that, Harry put a cocky grin on his lips, saying, "You don't really want me to explain, do you?" Remus finally laughed.

"No," he managed. "I don't need you to. You dog."

A blanket hit Harry, obviously coming from Emily Thea, who was still laughing. Harry wrapped it around him and continued on his way. Down the hall further, he heard behind him, "Papa, what would he have explained?" and Remus's snort. Oh, to be so innocent again.


	29. Let's Be Us Again

_Author's note: You all know, it has been a while since I've posted. I kind of have to admit that I've missed it. And my ship sunk. Or rather, it had been sunk for some time and I chose to ignore it. Oh well. What you see now is a blatant disregard for the truth. I know they will never be together in the books, but I'm okay with that. It's all good, because they are together in my daydreams. So, I'm not sure whether anyone is still interested in this little (okay, extremely long) tale of mine, but for the sake of making sure, I'll post this. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE R&R!!! If you'd like me to continue, I need to hear about it!! Thanks!! Turice ___

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: LET'S BE US AGAIN**_

It was something Harry had been preparing all day. He'd skipped work, saying there was a personal emergency he had to attend to, and went step-by-step to set it up. Hermione's favorite meal, he hoped it was the same after so long, was in the oven, ready for the them, there was wine chilling in the refrigerator, and a small, white table set up on the balcony of her bedroom, overlooking the London city lights. It was set for just the two of them. There was scented candles and a luxurious bath waiting in the bathroom. Nobody but they would be in the house that night.

He'd set his heart to it this time. He was courting his wife again. He was going to make her fall in love with him once more, and this time, they wouldn't get separated. No. Matter. What.

She arrived back from work right on time. There was soft music coming from the stereo. A famous old-time country crooner was singing about crossing his heart, a favorite song of hers from her time in the States. The lights were dimmed. As she glanced down at her feet, she saw a trail of rose petals leading down the hall and up the stairs. Smiling to herself as she took off her coat, she followed the trail up the stairs and to her bedroom. Her comforter was coated in the same petals, as was the carpet surrounding it. The only light was coming from several candles set up around the room. A note on a paper the color of cream stood out against the deep red of the roses beckoned her. Picking it up, she read:

_Hermione Honey_

_This isn't all. Follow the white petals into the bathroom, where you'll find even more. I'll meet you there._

"Harry," she chuckled softly. "You've gone mad." Putting the paper down and slipping out of her heels and nylons, she did follow the footpath to the bathroom. In there, once again there was only candlelight, warm vanilla sugar greeting her every sense as she opened the door. There were even candles floating in basins around the tub. Slowly shedding her dress and intimates, she slid into the bubble-topped water. Suddenly, she felt two hands start rubbing her shoulders, gently massaging away the stress of her day. The hands, who had so many times touched the same skin, were gentle and caring. Slowly and methodically, they released the anxiety built up in her muscles as they worked their way down. "Hermione, would you mind if I joined you?" a smooth voice whispered to her.

"Mm," she answered. As easily as he'd always moved, he slid in behind her, skin against skin, warm and soft. Grasping the flowing bath sponge from the rim beside them, he began to wash her chest with his arms around her, cheek rested against her chestnut hair. She leaned back against him, nestling into his chest like a child. He stopped washing and sat with her, just holding her and enjoying the feeling of having her back with him after so long.

"You know what, Harry?" Hermione finally spoke up after a while.

"What?"

"I am starving!" she giggled.

"Taken care of, whenever you feel like it."

"Really? Did you make it?"

"Yes, and I set the table out on your balcony."

"What did you make me?"

"What did you want?"

"Um, lemon lobster, a light pasta, a salad, and white wine."

"That's what I made you."

"Really, Harry? You remembered?"

"How could I forget?"

"You wouldn't mind if I wanted to eat now, would you? I don't want this to be ruined."

"I planned on it. Here, wait for just a minute, I'll go get your towel." He hopped out of the tub and went into the closet that was attached to the room. He emerged a moment later, a white fluffy towel wrapped around his waist and one in his hands for her.

"There you go," he said, handing it to her. "Put on what's on the bed. You'll look great in it. I'll be back in a bit." He left the room, taking Hermione's breath with him.

_He's really pulled out all the stops on this one, _she thought as she eyed the sexy, black strapless dress and diamond earrings and necklace he had set out for her. Slithering into the dress, she noticed that it fit her perfectly, especially around the breasts. _I __know__ those have changed since the last time he shopped for me. He snooped through my closet, didn't he? Oh, what a scoundrel! _

"Hermione," he called from behind the door.

"Could you come in here and help me? I can't zip the back of my dress." He knew she could, but was pleased to be able to touch her again. He stepped inside the room and over to her beside the bed. "This fits you perfectly." he complimented as he zipped.

"Yeah, how did you know what sizes to get?" she asked innocently.

"Why bother asking a question you already know the answer to?"

"That's what I thought."

He spun her by the shoulders. "You look great, though." Taking her hand, he guided her to the balcony. "Dinner's out here." The door opened for them as they passed through. Hermione, puzzled, looked around for why. An aged house elf stood behind it, grinning maniacally at them.

"Hello, Ms. Black. It's so good to see you again. Dobby has missed you."

"Dobby? Oh, Dobby!" She rushed forward and embraced the elf. "How have you been?"

"Ms. Black is the same woman Dobby remembers. Still very much as kind as Master Harry." The elf was shaking with glee at the open affection the woman showed for him. "Oh, how Dobby cried when Ms. Black went away, how he grieved for her while she was gone!" The elf cried into Hermione's shoulder. "Dobby is so glad you're back!"

"I missed you, too, Dobby." Hermione said as she straightened. Harry had been watching his house elf with her, forcing himself not to flinch when Dobby addressed her as 'Ms. Black'. He didn't care if that was her name now. He still thought of her as Mrs. Potter. He didn't know Dobby had missed her, either. He hadn't owned him until about two years before. He really didn't own him even now. He gave Dobby a place to live, the clothes he wanted, a small wage, and didn't expect too much work out of him. He, too, just had an affection for the elf and enjoyed the company more than he enjoyed that of one of his other elves, Kreacher. Kreacher and Dobby shared a home with Harry, his children, and Dobby's wife-elf, Winky. They were all there at Remus and Hermione's at Harry's request, the obvious two out of the three more than willing to help, given they could see their mistress again.

Winky had lit the candles on the table as Harry waited to pull Hermione's seat out for her, smiling up at her master as she did. "Master is content, Winky can see." The elf winked at him, making him smile, and grabbed him around the waist in a rare show of fondness for him. Letting go, she slipped away towards Hermione where she hugged her, too.

Hermione finally made her way to the chair Harry held out for her. Before she took the seat, she moved into him, pulling him closer, playing with the starched collar of his shirt. He stood with his hands on her hips, smiling down on her as he watched. Just as their lips were uniting once again, they heard snickers from behind the door.

"Your house elves?" Hermione mumbled against him.

"They're yours, too, but yeah. Let's give them something to talk about." He dipped her low, kissing her passionately. Cheering could be heard from the small audience of elves. Hermione broke the kiss and laughed. "I'm still hungry, you know."

"Here. Let me take care of that." He came close to her face, and nibbled on her ear. "Your turn."

"Oh, Harry," she whimpered. "You're going to kill me. What is with this whole new romantic side of you?"

"You and I have both grown up since we were twenty. Things change. I think I like it better this way."

"Me, too." she confirmed, meeting his gaze dead-on. "I'm still hungry, though."

"Bon Appetite, Mademoiselle." He remarked as he once again held the chair out for her.

"Shouldn't it be 'Madam' by now?" she questioned

"That was supposed to be a compliment. Unless, you want to be 'Madam'?"

"What are you implying?" She hoped he wasn't yet implying what she thought he was.

"Nothing. Let's eat."

Stuffed full of a favorite meal she hadn't been made in a decade, and sick of realizing she was that old, Hermione sat across from Harry, at ease. He rested, twirling wine in a glass, unable to take his eyes off of her.

"Harry, answer me this, and answer truthfully. What did you really mean by what you said when you offered me my chair?" What he had said had been bugging Harry, too. He'd hoped she had forgotten, to no avail.

"What do you think I meant?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

"Why'd you say it?"

"Once again, why ask a question you already know the answer to?"

"Because, Harry, I have to hear you say it. I can't decide what I want you to have meant, and frankly, it's bothering the hell out of me. Say it." She'd risen from her chair, now supporting herself with her fists on the table. He remained seated, but stared up at her.

"I can't say it, Hermione." He looked down at the forgotten wine in his hand.

"Why not?" she demanded, furious.

"Because, for once, I'm the one who's afraid. I've gotten this far with you, and I'm scared that if I tell you what I want, you won't care, and all I've worked so hard for, wanted so desperately, with vanish as soon as the words leave my mouth. I can't tell you Hermione, I just can't."

"Damn it, Harry. I want to know. Tell me." Harry was motionless. "Fine! If you won't tell me, I will leave, so either way, all you wanted is gone!" She shouted as she yanked open the door and darted across her bedroom floor.

"Hermione, wait!" Harry hurdled past poor Winky, who was standing in the doorway.

"Hermione, wait, please." _Score,_ she thought.

"Why do you want to know?" he questioned.

"Because I have to. Don't ask me why."

"What did you want me to say?"

"Now it's my turn not to answer." Searching her eyes for the answer, he was bombarded by a sweep of emotions which ended in a surge of tenderness. Taking a hand and tucking that one stray lock of hair behind her ear, he took a deep breath. He knelt on one knee and watched as her eyes welled with tears.

"Hermione, will you marry me?"

"Why bother asking a question you already know the answer to?" she asked as she smiled.

"Say it."

"Yes, Harry, I will marry you."

"Wait here." He jumped up and sprinted from the room.

"For what?" she asked meekly to his retreating back. He returned seconds later with a small, black velvet box in his hand.

"What's that?" Harry smirked at her when she asked. "Oh, don't say it, 'Why bother asking a question you already know the answer to', right?" she added.

Harry laughed. "Sure, but that's not what I was going to say."

"Fine, what were you going to say?"

"I bought this for you." He flipped open the top of the box. Hermione laid eyes on a white gold band, embedded with 8 quarter-carat square-cut diamonds. It was stunning, and very simple, just the way she liked it. Harry took her left hand and slipped the ring on. "It's beautiful." she murmured. "But what would you like me to do with the first one?" The first one was a single, one-carat square-cut diamond set in yellow gold.

"You still have it?"

"Yes."

Harry was silent, lost in thought. After a moment, he asked, "Can I have it?"

"Sure," she replied slowly. "What are you going to do with it?"

"I'll take it and recover the diamond and have the jeweler fashion it into another ring for a wedding set, then I'll take the gold and get Cecilia some cute little earrings. Sound like a plan?"

"Absolutely. I'll go get it for you." She made to leave the room, but was detained by him.

"That can wait." He grinned as he pulled her to him and fell back on the bed. "I have a better way to spend the night."

"So which of us is going to tell the kids?" Hermione asked on her way down.

"We'll talk about that later. Right now."

_Please Remember to R&R!!! THANK YOU!!_


	30. Thank God For Kids

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: THANK GOD FOR KIDS**_

One year later (July 10th)

Hermione stood in the bay windows of the hall, overlooking the small, peaceful village she and Harry had chosen to make their new home. Her wedding was more than an hour away, but she had long since donned her wedding gown and helped her bridesmaids, Ginny, Tonks, Emily Thea, and CeCe get dressed, too. They were out helping with the last minute preparations, while giving Hermione some time to think. She thought back nineteen years, to the first time she and Harry had met. Then to when they had become instant friends when Ron and Harry had saved her life from a giant mountain troll. She went back to when Harry had first asked her out, their first kiss, the night they had married, that same night when they had lost their virginity together. She remembered going with him so many times to face Lord Voldemort, saving his life and getting the favor returned too many times to count. She remembered how she'd felt when she was forced to watch him kiss another girl, have to fake having no romantic interest in her. To think that the girl he was faking it with was one of her bridesmaids. She thought back to how she'd felt when she'd learned that she was pregnant with Charlie, Charlie's birthday, when she'd found out she was pregnant again, how scared she'd been when there was complications with CeCe. All the other little moments they'd shared over the years ran through her head, from holding Harry after Sirius had died, to even more private moments together.

Hermione felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned around, expecting to see Remus, or even aging Molly Weasley, who was acting as the groom's mother. Instead, she came face-to-face with her real godfather. James Potter stood in a good-looking suit. He seemed to have aged well, although it baffled Hermione how one might age while still dead. He had a few crow's feet around his brown eyes, speckles of gray in his otherwise untidy black hair, so much like his son's.

"Hello, Hermione." He moved to embrace her; Hermione found herself locked in the arms of a ghost, although he felt rather solid to her. He planted a kiss on her temple as he drew her away from him to study her.

"You look great." he admired.

"You, too. How do you age when you're dead?" She asked curiously. James could only shrug.

"To hell if I know. You'd have to ask Lily. She'd know." Hermione grinned as they both realized the ridiculousness of the statement. "Better yet, I'll ask her and tell you when you get there." He winked.

"That's a little better. Anyway, what are you doing here, James?"

"I came to you on the day of this wedding," he said in his best mob-boss voice, "to tell you something of grave importance."

"Haha, very funny, but that's not how the line goes." She kidded him.

"I know, I know, who doesn't know how that line goes? But I was serious about the grave importance thing." he said solemnly. Hermione stiffened.

"What is it, James?"

"Your dad's not dead, and I think you should wait to get married until you get him back."

"Since when is my dad not dead? He's been gone for a year. Where is he?" She asked.

"His father's got him, in custody in a cell on an island in the South Pacific. He's alive, but only just. His time is running out, and as much as I miss my buddy, he misses you more than me. So, you have to go get him."

"Why didn't I know this beforehand?" She cried.

"Hermione, I'm really sorry, but it took me forever to figure out how to get down here."

"I have to go get him now?"

"That would be advisable. He's going to die, Hermione, and I think before he does, he might want to walk his own daughter down the aisle, for once."

"Shit. Goddamn it. Son of a bitch." She swore as she rushed from the room to go find Harry.

"It's kind of hard to offend him with that, considering he really is!" James called after his favorite friend's daughter.

Hermione ran shouting Harry's name down the hall. Harry emerged from the room where he was talking with Ron, who was his best man, Remus, who was acting for Sirius, and Charlie. Hermione ran into him accidentally, forcing them both to tumble to the floor. Slightly bewildered, and buried under Hermione and white, Harry sat still, trying not to tear the dress by thrashing. Hermione jumped up, gathering the gown around her.

"Harry," she said breathlessly. "We have to go. We have to go now. We have to go get my dad." Harry placed his hands on either side of her face, and exaggerated his breathing, silently telling her to follow him. She did.

"Hermione Honey, are you okay?"

"Yes, Harry, yes, I'm fine. Your dad. He was just here, and he told me that my dad was being trapped by Voldemort, somewhere on the South Pacific. He said I should go get him before we get married, because he wants to walk me down the aisle. He's dying fast, Harry, we have to go get him."

"Hermione, my dad's dead, and so is yours. You can't possibly have talked to my father, Hermione, he's been dead for 29 years. Yours has been gone for a year."

"Harry," a voice came from behind them.

"Harry," Hermione said at the same time. "I'm not crazy."

"Harry, she's not." the voice came again. Harry spun around to the voice, and went white as a sheet when he came face to face with almost an exact replica of him.

"Dad?"

"That's not the way to start a marriage, thinking your wife is nuts, you know." He scolded. Harry hesitantly walked over to James. Impatient, James reached over and snagged his only son's jacket, pulling him into a strong embrace. They stood there, locked tightly in each other's arms, each reluctant to let go. James was stroking his son's hair affectionately. "Your godfather is stuck on an island, missing you and his daughters. Go get him." James told Harry. "I'll go with you."

"Where's this island?" Remus asked.

"Remus, old buddy, how's life treating you?" James asked him enthusiastically, grabbing him in a rough hug. Remus squeezed him back with as much vigor.

"It's good to see you again, James." Remus said. James smiled.

"Dad," Harry called on his way outside, pulling Hermione along by the hand. "Where are we supposed to go?" The men separated their hug and ran after the large group of people leaving the hall.

"15° North, 135° West"

"Can we Apparate there?"

"No, the center of the fortress is right where the lines cross. You'll have to swim to the island, so Apparate a few hundred meters west of that point." James and Remus had sprinted and caught up with the jogging group. "You're going to have to change your clothes, Hermione."

"Damn, that's right, I'm still in a wedding dress. Are all of you going swimming in suits?"

James, Harry, Remus, and Ron all looked around at each other, and in one movement, four suit jackets hit the muddy ground outside. Hermione, ever sensible, muttered an enchantment that changed her gown into blue jeans and a black sweatshirt. "Let's go." She mumbled and started to the head of the group.

Not long after, there was a salt-and-pepper colored head bobbing in the front of a group battling the rough Pacific Ocean waves, followed by a brunette, a black head, a totally gray head, and a fire-red head. Hauling their pathetically wet bodies from the salty brine, they shook themselves off like dogs and set out to scale the cliffs that the fortress stood on. By the time they reached the top, hidden in the shadows right along the west wall of the massive castle, their limbs were shaking from overexertion.

"Harry," Ron panted. "You're going to have to intensify the training Aurors do. Most would be shit out of luck if they had to do this!"

"No joke," Harry muttered under his breath, which was still escaping his grasp. "Dad, where's Sirius?"

"His cell is underground. We have to get to the East wall, find the hatch that leads to the tunnel that leads to the dungeon. Hopefully, we won't encounter too much resistance. The only guards we should meet are the ones at the cell door, but they should be easy. It's only Crabbe and Goyle, those gorillas that followed the Malfoy brat around while you all were at Hogwarts." Ron laughed at James' words as he remembered them, and all the times he and his two best friends had been able to dupe them.

"Uggh. Why couldn't we have just Apparated to the East? Wouldn't that have been much easier?" Harry ranted.

"No, there's a watch tower. We'd have been seen. You have got to trust your old man," James said as he grabbed his fully grown son down and ruffled his hair, which really didn't make all that much difference in its appearance.

"Your mother always hated how my hair never set straight." James recalled

"I won't let him do anything to it. I like it like that." Hermione smiled at him.

"You've got a wedding to be mushy at. Let's go get my friend." James said to them as the two of them talked, without really ever saying anything at all.

James was right in predicting that they would encounter no resistance. They made it clear to the dungeons with no mishaps and only one close call when they got within view of the East Wall watch tower. Things definitely went more smoothly than Harry had anticipated they would. When they found the hatch that led to the dungeons, Hermione sprinted ahead of the group, pulled it up, and disappeared behind it before any of the others came close. Tearing down the narrow corridor, running blindly to reach her dad, she didn't stop until she saw light at the end of the tunnel. Slowing as she neared it, she heard two slow-talking morons discussing a new siege planned on the Order of the Pheonix. Standing motionless, she heard all of their new plans. Feeling Harry creep up behind her, she finally made her move and paced into the little room, where Crabbe and Goyle caught sight of her.

"Well, I know how to stop that one," she said to their wide eyes as she and Harry Stunned them and erased their memories.

"That was almost too easy." Harry said.

"They always were." Hermione stepped over the aging baboons and up to a small door, with a tiny window letting in only a tiny bit of light.

"Harry, James! Come quick!" she called over her shoulder.

"I know, Hermione, he's in there." James placed a hand on her shoulder, drawing her away, and set to work on the lock. No matter what spell he tried, it wouldn't budge. Hermione looked around for something to hit the lock with, finding nothing. So, whether it hurt like hell to or not, she propped the lock up with a small rock stuck between it and the wood of the door, and kicked with the heel of her foot at an angle. The lock came free.

She threw the door open and hurried inside. It was, to say the least, pitch black on the inside. Lighting the tip of her wand, she searched the dark until she stumbled. Looking down, she saw something that made her stomach turn. A severed human arm lay alone in the cell, bloodied and rotting, beetles consuming it piece by piece. The worst part of it was that, by the size of it and the pink nail polish on the tiny nails, Hermione could tell that she was looking at a young girl's arm, most definitely the same age as her own daughter. Holding back the vomit rising into her throat, she stepped over the little thing, hoping to avoid finding the owner of the gruesome sight. What terrible person or thing could do that to a little girl like that was beyond her worst fears. She continued in silence, the small group a few yards behind.

They searched the huge cell meter by meter, finding the mutilated bodies of a man, woman, and a girl that looked to be about eight or nine.

"By God," Remus had cursed when he saw her. "She can't be any older than Emily Thea." He set to work transforming them into three small jewels to put in his pocket and carry home to try and identify them and give them a proper burial. Hermione, who was crouched beside him, stopped suddenly. She had heard it, for a few fleeting seconds. She swore she had. Leaving them all intent on helping Remus with the people, she ventured off into the dark alone. Her heart was hammering against her breast. She prayed her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She thought she had heard raspy breathing coming from somewhere down the way.

"Oh, Daddy," she said aloud. "Where are you?" Rushing forward she ran into the dark, hoping she wasn't too late. As if in answer to her prayers, she heard the sound again. This time, a shuffling could be heard with it.

He scared the hell out of her when he reached up and grabbed her pant leg. All she saw when she lit her wand and looked down was a horrifically bony hand holding her. With a small cry of terror, she jumped away. She saw the stick-like figure fall to the ground. That's when she realized she recognized the thin body, the shaggy hair, the corpse-looking face. Her father lay feet from her, sprawled and weak. She rushed forward, knelt, and gathered what was little was left of the man she knew and loved in her arms. Sirius, after having not seen her in what felt like forever, didn't do anything but let her hold him. She brushed the dirt from his brow, kissing it repeatedly.

"I knew you weren't dead, I never believed it, I knew you were alive!" she wept quietly. Sirius was totally unable to talk and barely able to move, but he looked up at her face, shining with tears and the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and smiled. He was thrilled that he'd been right about her. He remembered thinking that she would know the truth when Voldemort had stood before him and said she wouldn't. Clearly the monster never understood, and therefore could not have, the connection a parent had with their child. This would prove it to him. Voldemort had always underestimated the power of love. It was his loss. With all the strength Sirius possessed within him, he raised his arms and wrapped them around his daughter, content.

Harry had noticed that Hermione had vanished. Fearing the worst, he ran after her. She was out of sight of him, running ahead, but to what, he didn't know. He heard her to the front of him, heard her give a shriek, and silence. _Please let her be okay. Please let her be okay. God, don't let her be dead. Please don't let her be dead. _Harry prayed as he ran faster in his haste to reach her. With his wand light, he saw her, bent over on the ground, hugging a heap.

"Hermione!" He dived at her, catching her and the bundle in his arms. "Why'd you run?" He asked as he kissed her temple.

"Harry, you're squashing Dad's face." Hermione smiled patiently. Looking down in disbelief, Harry saw Sirius's face held fast to Hermione, and definitely squished by Harry.

"Sirius!" Harry hollered. He grabbed his godfather in a tight embrace. "You're alive!"

Harry's shout was heard by the others, who, having finished transforming the people to jewels, hurried to them. James and Remus reached them first. James didn't have to ask what Sirius thought when he saw him. It was written in his eyes, and being his best friend, James knew.

"Lily did it." he said as he plucked his best friend from his son's arms, Remus helping, both wrapping the deathly thin man snuggly.

"Good God, you're cold!" Remus said as he grasped Sirius closer. Sirius was still unable to talk, but smiled at his buddy. Oh, Remus wouldn't know cold until he had spent as much time here as Sirius himself had. Pointing to where light was filtering in through the crack in the cell door, everyone understood what Sirius meant.

"Okay, okay, we'll go already." Remus stood on one side of Sirius, James on the other. Ron went to the head of the group. Harry and Hermione stood behind them all to cover the rear, where the most trouble would be most likely to occur. Hermione wasn't looking up as they walked out. Harry was. Nudging her, he pointed ahead of them at the Marauders, standing three wide, supporting their fellow. Hermione smiled.

"After all these years, together and apart, they haven't changed much." she whispered, knowing that it would be a mental image she would never forget.

"I love being a Marauder's kid. It's good to know I've got some of them in me."

"Harry, we are them. All over again."

"I know. But you can't beat the classics."

"We certainly gave them a run for their money, though."

"If you don't shut up, you're gonna wake him up!" Hermione said in a harsh undertone.

"Sorry, Mom. I just can't believe he's alive!" CeCe whispered back, resisting the temptation to fling her arms around the sleeping neck of her mother's father. Sirius was listening to his daughter and her daughter above him, wanting to go back to sleep. He knew this was just a dream. He'd been hearing their voices every time he'd laid down to sleep for what felt like eternity. Rolling over to his side, trying to find a comfortable spot on the brick floor, he was stunned to realize that he was laying under a down comforter, his head consumed by floral scented pillows. He bolted up out of the bed and looked into his daughter and granddaughter's faces. Both were smiling.

"Grandpa!" CeCe finally did hug him. Sirius held his granddaughter tightly, not willing to believe that this was really happening. She certainly felt real, more warmth and love than he'd felt in a long while.

Hermione threw a t-shirt at him. He recognized that he was only wearing sweat pants, probably Remus's, and had been bathed recently.

"What the hell happened to me?" he finally said, in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Good to see you're talking again." Hermione replied, moving around to the other side of the bed to hold her father close.

"How did I get here? Better yet, where am I?"

"You're at mine and Harry's house. We brought you back here after we got off that island, which, in case you didn't know, was in the God-forsaken middle of nowhere."

"Yours and Harry's. You mean you're sharing it?"

"It's a long story, Dad. At the moment, I have to go tell James you're awake. He only has about another hour before he has to go back. He was hoping you'd wake up."

"James? James who?"

"Potter. Do you know another James?"

"Wow. I was thinking this was real there for a second. This is by far the worst dream I've ever had."

"Dad, knock it off. James is the reason you're alive. He led us to you. He's the only one who knew for certain that you weren't dead, although I must admit, I wasn't entirely sure you were gone." The scene in the cell came back to him, all those people he loved, finally there after so long. He really was back.

"Are you saying James came back? I didn't think that was possible. How'd he do it?"

Hermione shrugged. "He said we'd have to ask Lily. She figured it all out." She looked him over, worried at the amount of bruises and scars on him, worried too over how malnourished he was. "How'd you do it, Dad?"

"I don't know. How long was I there?"

"A year. Did they abuse you?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner!" She fell into him, sobbing. He held her and stroked her hair, whispering to her.

"It's okay, Baby Girl, I'm okay. You came, that's all that counts. I'm here with you now, everything's going to be okay."

"I know, but when I first saw you in the cave, I thought you were one of Voldemort's Inferi. You looked so terrible. I thought I'd lost you forever, again."

Sirius shuddered at the thought of all those he'd seen turned to Inferi while he was there. He remembered the small family that he'd been with last in the cell, wondering if they now guarded one of Voldemort's stashes. There had been a small girl with her mom and dad. She'd hardly stopped crying while she was there. It had been painful for Sirius to listen to, not only because he knew she wouldn't last long in the cell, but because it made him think of his own daughters.

"Hermione, did you guys find anybody else in the cell?"

"Yes." she said quietly, not looking at him. Sirius gulped down the lump in his throat.

"They didn't make it. Remus was turning them into gemstones when I heard your breathing and ran after you. They are with him. We'll bury them later."

"Their names were Mary, Bill, and Bailey Yates. She was eight."

"Oh, how sad. I thought my guess at her age was about right."

"Hermione, there's something else."

"She's fine, Dad. She was born on June 9th, right after you left. Remus and I came home from your funeral to find her bundled on the doorstep with a note from Michelle. Remus was scared to take her, but I convinced him in the end. She had a disease, though, that made her age too quickly. Her body was eleven years old by the time she really should have been eleven weeks. But, thank Merlin, it slowed down. She's perfectly healthy now. She just finished her first year at Hogwarts. She calls Remus "Papa", and has since she started talking. We had her thinking I was Remus's friend, until she found out what mothers and fathers were, then we sat her down and explained to her that Remus wasn't her father and I wasn't his friend. She knows I'm her sister and you're her dad, but she still thinks you're dead."

Weak in the knees, Sirius, who had stood, collapsed back on the bed, overcome by all this new information.

"I knew you'd keep track of her. I was worried Michelle would wig out when I wasn't there. God, thank you for keeping her. Where's Michelle?"

"We don't know. We haven't seen her since Harry's birthday last year. She came at about eleven that night and demanded that Remus and I give her her daughter. We didn't, and Harry showed her out. We haven't seen her since."

"Hermione, I'm so sorry I put you through that."

"You didn't. Don't worry about it."

"Can I see her?"

"She's at a friend's house. She'll be here later. You just visit with James. You don't have a lot of time left with him." She paced to the door, and went out. He could hear her calling for James and Remus.

The next figures he saw were those of his two best friends in the door frame. In an instant, they flew at him, tackling him against the bed amidst friendly punches and heartfelt hugs. "Sirius, buddy, you're back!" they said. He slugged them back, laughing at the most affection his friends had ever shown him in front of anyone else.

"God, guys, let me breathe!" Sirius said through his smile. They let him up and sat on either side of him, grins plastered on their aging faces. "Damn, you two look good for how old we are!"

"Sirius, we'll clean you up and you'll be a knockout again, too."

"Okay, between us guys, what is going on with our kids?" Sirius turned to James. "When did our children get back together?"

James burst out laughing, a sweet sound to his two buddies who hadn't heard that sound since they were twenty.

"They kissed on Harry's birthday on your grave last year." The other two men started laughing.

"And now they're married again, right?"

"No. They will be though. I found Harry butt naked walking down my hall the morning after they 'reunited'. He gave poor Emily Thea an eyeful. They were only an hour away from getting married when James showed up to Hermione and convinced her to go get you." Remus was still had tears running down his face from laughing too hard.

"I thought you might want to walk your daughter down the aisle for once."

"Yeah, just maybe. I knew they'd get back together."

"You've got a couple of great girls, Sirius." Remus mentioned.

"Thanks for taking over for me, Remus, I owe you."

"You do not. I love them both like they were my own. Emily Thea is a blast. She's made a better man out of me."

"When are you going to go out with Tonks and get your own kids?" James questioned Remus.

"What about Tonks?" Remus looked puzzled.

"You know, my cousin?" Sirius said.

"Did you not know?"

"Know what? What are you talking about?" Remus's confusion was evident. James and Sirius eyed one another. James took a breath and told him all about it.

"Tonks is so in love with you it's not healthy. I mean, she really loves you."

"Me? Tonks loves me? You can't be serious."

"We are." Sirius said simply.

"Oh Merlin, that's something new." Remus was flabbergasted.

"No," James countered him. "It's not. She's had a crush on you since she was in school. It got worse as she grew older and joined the order. It's been almost unbearable for her lately, watching you with Emily Thea and wanting a family with you for herself."

"That's not going to happen." He said stubbornly.

"Why not?!?" Both Sirius and James rounded on him, eyes boring into him.

"What could she possibly want a family with me for? I can't approach her with it, and after all these years, if she hasn't done anything, well, you both know her."

"Which is just how we know this is killing her softly! Watch her the next time you're around her. She's head over heels in love, and Heaven only knows (James chuckled) how much she wants you to finally realize it. You'll see." Sirius said. James reached up to put his hand on Remus's shoulder. Even though he felt his hand, when he looked at Sirius's face, he realized something was wrong. He looked down at his hand. It wasn't there.

"Well, gentlemen, we have to wrap this up. I gotta go. Harry! Get your scrawny ass in here!" He shouted.

"My ass isn't scrawny, Dad." Harry stopped short in the door. "What happened to your legs?"

"Get over here. I have to say goodbye to you." Before he got the chance to advance on Harry, he felt his two best friends come up behind him. On their feet, Remus hugged James. "I'll see you later, bud."

"Bye Moony. I'll miss you until then."

Sirius was next in line.

"James, thanks for giving me a second chance. I owe you."

"To hell with that! You didn't honestly think I was gonna let you die, did you? Not when our children's love story was about to get interesting." Sirius laughed aloud as he squeezed him tightly. "I'm really gonna miss you. I love you like a brother, James. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, Padfoot, I know. I love you, too." Sirius released James, allowing him to turn to his son. Wasting little time with words, James pulled Harry into a warm embrace, wishing he never had to let go. He hadn't really held his son in thirty some odd years, and after all that time, a few hours with him felt like nothing at all, now that James knew full well how time could crawl. "I'm proud of you, Harry. You're my son, my one and only child. You have children of your own, so you know how much I love you. You make sure you treat that fine wife of yours right, she's the best thing you've got. Tell her I love her, too."

"I will." Harry replied, unable to shift his gaze from his marvel of a father. "Tell Mom I love her. I love you, too." Now that the only part of James remaining was his torso and head, he knew it was time to be heading out.

"I'm watching you all, so don't try anything stupid. I'll have to give you static for eternity. Please don't make me. Eternity is a long time." James waved at them one last time, the people left on Earth who meant the most to him. His son and his two best friends. He couldn't have said anymore, and instead turned on his invisible heel and vanished.

"Bye, Dad." Harry whispered into the silent, empty space his father had just occupied. Sirius and Remus each slung an arm around his shoulders, pulling him from the room and to Hermione, who was waiting patiently for Remus in the living room, with a twelve-year-old blonde named Black.

Remus rounded the corner first. He saw who was sitting on the couch with his oldest goddaughter and damn near choked on his own tongue. Stopping suddenly, he shoved Sirius and Harry further from the corner and back towards the bedroom. Talking rapidly to the confused men, he spoke directly to Harry.

"Take him back to my house; show him Emily Thea's room. We'll be there in a minute."

"Who's 'we'?" Harry asked. Remus glared at him, trying not to be too mean. Harry got the message and gasped. "She's here?"

"Duh. You have to let Hermione and I explain to her what's going on before she meets him."

"Are my daughters out there? Both of them? Let me see Emily Thea." Sirius tried to push past Remus, but Harry grabbed him from behind and Remus refused to budge from in front of him.

"Not yet, Sirius. You'll see her soon. Let's go." Harry dragged him down the corridor away from the living room and down some stairs at the end that led to the basement and out into the fading evening light, where they could Apparate to Remus's. Remus watched them, wishing to be anywhere but where he was at that moment. He took a long, soothing breath, and stepped out to the girls.  
Emily Thea jumped up from the couch and ran to him, wrapping herself around his waist in a tight hug.

"Papa! Hermione says you have a great surprise for me. What is it? Can I see it?" Remus chuckled. She was hyper today. He picked her petite form up. She was tiny for a twelve-year-old. He looked at her pretty young face. Her life was about to change forever. He kissed her forehead and set her down.

"We have to talk." He said gently.

"Papa, did you finally ask Tonks out?" She looked at his face with earnest, and giggled as his expression changed.

Remus gaped at the little girl, and then looked up to see Hermione on the couch, struggling to control a burst of laughter threatening to escape.

"Yeah, Papa, even I knew about that." Emily Thea laughed again.

"Who didn't?" he replied weakly.

"You." Emily Thea said shortly. Remus roared with laughter. "Come on, you."

He reached for her hand to guide her to the couch. He felt like he'd had the wind knocked out of him when he realized how well it fit into his. He would do anything to keep her with him. But she was his best friend's little girl, so what was he to do? Tell him he couldn't have her? There wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that he would - could - ever do that, and he knew that for certain.

"Em," he started when they had seated themselves on the couch, Remus on one side of her, Hermione on the other side. "You remember who your real father is, don't you?"

"Yeah," she said. "You."

"No, Emily Th..." he stopped when she put a hand up to silence him.

"Yes, Papa. What makes you not my father? You raised me, so what if I don't have your same genetics? What difference does that make?" she said quietly.

"You're not making this any easier." he said, looking away from her. God knew she'd grown so well. At that moment, she was no longer the little girl looking for her surprise she was moments ago. She was a mature young woman.

"Life is hard, and so is love, remember saying that to me?" she quoted. "What's on your mind, monkey?" she continued, in a tone perfectly matched to his, saying the same words he'd always said to her as she was growing up. He knew then he'd done a good job with her. Hermione, realizing that Remus couldn't speak, jumped in for him, breaking the news so he didn't have to.

"Em, Dad's not dead. Our dad is alive. We went to get him today when we got a tip that he was alive after all. That's why Harry and I aren't married yet"

Emily Thea looked thunderstruck. "But, but..."

"I know, Sweetie, but it's true. Sirius Black is alive and well, and he wants to see you. He's at our house, waiting for us right now. He was here a few minutes ago, but we snuck him out so you could meet him later." Remus finally said.

"What now?" Emily Thea asked, almost whispering, in awe her very own real father had been so close without her knowing.

"Do you want to meet him?" Hermione asked

"Yeah, but what about Papa? What about after the meeting? He's my dad; do I live with him or with Papa?" She looked at Remus, eyes reflecting fear and a heart about to break.

Remus pulled her close and cuddled her. "I don't know, baby, I don't know yet. Your dad loves you. You're about to see you love him, too. I promise. Just because you have your real dad back doesn't mean I don't love you anymore and you can't love me, okay? I love you so much, sweetheart." He kissed her as she snuggled closer, holding onto him for what seemed to be dear life. He was asking himself the same question she'd just asked him; "What now?"

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked her little sister. She looked up from her spot on Remus's chest, resolve in her wet eyes.

"Yes, I'm ready."

Sirius was seated on a pink flowery comforter in a tiny, brightly colored room, clutching a framed Muggle photo of Hermione, Remus, and, as Harry told him, Emily Thea. There were photos everywhere throughout the room, documenting her time growing up. There was one of the three of them piled on the couch when she looked to be about eight or nine on top of the dresser, one of her covered in mud when she was three, her smiling in front of the Hogwarts Express on her first day, one of her blowing out a cake with six candles on it, the results of when the cake blew up (he guessed that was Fred and George). There was one of her and her sister up to their ears in cookie dough, and one of Harry teaching her to ride his old Firebolt, a gift from him. The photo Sirius found it hardest to look at was the one on the nightstand. It was of Remus, holding a sleeping infant to his chest, a serene look on his face. It was the only other Muggle photo in the room. In the corner of the frame, scrawled were the letters SHMILY. Harry, when he had caught Sirius looking puzzled at the letters, told him that they meant "See How Much I Love You", a saying the two in the photo shared. It was starting to become clear to Sirius how much he'd missed in her life, and that, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, Emily Thea Black was as much Remus Lupin's daughter as she was his.

A knock on the door knocked Sirius from his wanderings. There was a significantly large lump in his throat, forcing him to not speak.

"We're here." Harry called. "Come in."

In what felt like slow motion to Sirius, the door opened. Behind it, Hermione stood, Remus behind her, and another small figure hidden behind him. Hermione stepped over to Harry. Remus put a hand behind him and drew out a shy looking girl with platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes, giving Sirius his very first glance of his young daughter. She looked him in the eye. Everyone in the room was silent. He just stared at her, taking her in, and she at him. Nobody would have expected her to make the first move. She broke the trance they had both entered and ran to him. He caught her in his arms and held her. This was it. This was his baby girl.

"Daddy." She cried. He broke down then, letting the tears he'd held back come. She'd said it. She had called him "Daddy". That was all it took.

Sobs still shaking her small shoulders, she turned her head. He felt her small, soft lips touch his cheek. A smile came to his. He looked up to see Remus standing with his hands in his pockets, looking at the little one and her true father. Was that pain Sirius saw on his friend's face? He looked away, fearing that he had just seen something Remus didn't want him to. He looked instead to his daughter and godson. Harry had Hermione bundled in his arms, head rested against her hair, eyes watching the scene playing out in front of him. Hermione was looking back at him, watching her father and her sister, crying with them. He let the little girl cling to him as he played with her pretty hair. She was beautiful already. Sirius thought back on finding out she was coming. He remembered telling the people all standing here now, how every one of them had not reacted as well as he wanted them to. But now, in a sign of good character, they had come to love the little girl. They were the most important people in her life. He remembered the first time it had occurred to him that, although she was unexpected and quite the shock, he wanted her. Desperately. There was that first time he heard her tiny heart beating away inside her mum's belly. The memory came back to him as he felt that same heart beating on his shoulder now.

He could have stayed in that position, just holding her, but once again, she made the first move. She pulled away, holding his hands in hers. She took her left hand from his and used to trace over her father's face. She skimmed her finger over his eyes, his lips, his defined cheekbones. Finally, she was satisfied that she had memorized every inch of his face. She took his hand again, and bent closer to brush her eyelashes over the tip of his nose. It tickled, but he resisted jerking.

"Do you know what that was?" She asked him. Sirius leaned forward and did the same to her.

"Those wouldn't be butterfly kisses, would they?" he responded. A grin broke out over her face. She nodded her head. She brought his palm up to her lips as she had seen her sister do so many times to Remus, and placed a real kiss in the center.

"I'm gonna go to sleep now. I'm tired. Goodnight, Daddy." She turned from him and walked to Remus, where she hugged him and received her ritual goodnight kiss. "Goodnight, Papa. I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. Good night."

Harry left the room after her, having whispered to Hermione to kiss the two men goodnight and follow him. She did as he suggested. She walked to her father, kissed his cheek and wrapped him in a hug.

"Welcome back. I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, Hermione. Thank you for everything."

"You gave me life. I returned the favor. Don't mention it. Goodnight, Dad."

She then crossed to Remus. He picked her up in a great big hug. "I love you, Hermione."

"I love you, Papa." She left the room and caught up with Harry.

"Do you think they've ever had a knock-down drag-out fight before?" She asked him curiously.

"No." Harry replied gruffly.

"How much do you wanna bet they're about to have their very first right now?"

Harry laughed. "That's what I want them to do. It's a little reverse psychology. Watch and see." They made their way to the couch, just feet away from Emily Thea's door.

"Come to think of it, where did Miss Thang go?"

"She's probably lying awake in Papa's bed."

"Oh, you're probably right."

"Probably?" she eyed him mischievously.

"Fine, you're right." He said, just to butter her up. Hermione laughed as she laid her head on his shoulder, tired herself.

The two men were silent back in the tiny bedroom of Emily Thea. Sirius had picked the photograph up again, needing something to do with his hands. Remus had his back to his friend, debating over whether to break the ice or leave it up to Sirius to do.

"You've done a great job, Remus. She's incredible."

"It was mostly Hermione. I would have been lost without her." Remus turned around to face Sirius, relieved he didn't have to start, but still tense over the battle he could feel coming.

"What now, Remus?"

Remus chuckled dully. "She asked me that same question when she found out you were alive. I told her I didn't know."

"They love you, obviously. Emily Thea loves you more than she does her own father. I know that's not your fault, but."

"I get it, Sirius. She's your daughter, not mine."

"She is practically yours, Remus, you raised her."

"No, Sirius. She's got your blood, your heart, and your genes. She'll never be mine."

"Remus, let's get one thing straight. Yes, she's my daughter, and I want her, with me, living with me. I want with her everything I was cheated out of with Hermione."

"There's our problem, Sirius. You just nailed it. I want her, too. I would die readily for her, and I want her with me. I'm not quite ready to give her up."

"And you're going to stand up to her true father to keep her, right?" Sirius's voice raised as he started to get angry.

"How can I?" Remus said in anguish. "What am I supposed to do? I really don't know! Am I supposed to get into a fight with you over her, trying to keep her, and lose, or do I just let you take her? Either way, I lose her. The first way, I might lose you, too. That would suck royally. But I'm not really for going down without a fight, either. So, what choice do I have? Am I really gonna stand up to you, my best friend and her true father, over someone that rightfully belongs to you? I love that girl, Sirius. What am I going to do?" Remus partly growled, partly sighed.

Sirius was taken aback at his friend. Remus never seemed the type to butt heads with anybody. What was more shocking was that he was butting heads with Sirius over something Remus seemed to be passionate about. This guy definitely wasn't the same person Sirius left when he was kidnapped. Emily Thea and Hermione had changed him. "What would she want?"

"Sirius, she can't grow up without you. I want you to have what you didn't have with Hermione. Don't get me wrong. But she has been raised by me up to this point. I know where she belongs, and that's with you. She'll be fine, I'm sure. She's a good kid, and it's probably best for her. Just promise me I can visit her anytime at all, okay? And please, don't ask her to call me Remus. That would be a knife in the back. Not unless she wants to stop calling me 'Papa'."

Sirius was silent for a long time, trying to sort out what to do. The part of him that held a deep love for his friend Remus could see his buddy was hurting, and was prepared to do just about anything to take that defeated look out of his eye. But the stubborn and selfish side of him wasn't going to let him give up what was his.

"Sirius, goddamn it, say something."

"I can't do that, Remus."

"You can't promise me? Why the hell not?" Remus raged.

"No, I can't take her from you."

"Are you insane? We were just fighting over who had more right to her, and now you're saying you can't take her." Remus yelled.

"I have an idea." Sirius said suddenly.

"If it involves scheduled visits, I'm not interested."

"It doesn't. Hopefully, it's better than that."

Remus raised his eyebrows and made a waving motion with his hand. Sirius took the gesture to mean, "It had better be better. Lay it on me."

"How about we move in together? We could combine our resources, buy a bigger house, and we can raise her together. What do you think?"

"Us all living together. Oh, that will work." Remus said sarcastically.

"It wouldn't be any different for you and me than when we shared a dorm at Hogwarts. She would have both of us around. Do you see any problem with it?"

"What are we going to do when we start to irritate each other or disagree over something that has to do with her? Get a divorce?"

"Did we divorce each other in school? You irritate me all the time."

"Likewise." Remus threw in. Sirius grinned.

"But we don't end a lifelong friendship because of it. Of course we're going to argue over her, but how do regular couples get along? How do Hermione and Harry get along?"

"Fine, you win, but one thing. You have to watch what kind of characters."

"You mean women."

"Yes, what kind of women you bring around the house. Try to keep it stable for her sake, okay?"

"Are you going to watch what kind of women you bring around?"

"What woman would I bring around? Tonks?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Because, and please don't take offense to this, but I won't enter a relationship unless I'm serious. I have never had a wild fling with a woman, nor do I plan to. So if I ever brought a woman home, you best start getting your suit out, because you've got some best man duties to take care of."

Sirius laughed. "When are you gonna ask her out?"

"Eventually." Remus mumbled.

"So that's a yes on the date, just no certain time?"

"I guess."

"Whoo hoo!" Sirius grabbed his friend's head and gave him a sound noogie.

"Hey hey hey! Geeoffme." Remus struggled to remove his head from Sirius's grasp. Sirius let go

.  
"You're blushing." He pointed out.

"I am most certainly not." Remus scoffed, with a small smile as he turned his head to try to hide the evidence that he was indeed blushing.

"Oh," Sirius said. "You two would be so cute together. Say she's hot."

"She's hot."

"Say you love her."

"I love her."

"Say you're gonna ask her out."

"I'm gonna ask her out."

"Say when."

"When."

Sirius doubled over with laughter. "That's not what I meant."

"I know. Let's go. I want to go to sleep."

"Do you act so old all the time?"

"I may seem old to the mentality of a sixteen-year-old."

"Alright, you got me."

"Hey, Remus?"

"What?"

"Do I still have my house?"

"Hermione kept it, but nobody's been in there for about six months."

"Can I get in tonight?"

"Why?"

"I have to go home, don't I?"

"You are nuts. You don't really think I'm going to let you out of my sight after you've been gone for so long, do you? No, you and I are going to kick it on the floor of my bedroom tonight. We have a lot to talk about."

"Why the floor? How about you get the floor and I get the bed?"

"One, because this is my house. Two, Emily Thea has the bed, so we're stuck on the floor."  
"God, we are bickering like an old married couple." Sirius teased. Remus, playing along, turned back and started towards the outside door, hurrying through the living room, watched by Harry and Hermione in amazement.

"I'm going to go get myself a woman right now. Some hot redhead, with a fiery temper so she can whip your sorry ass back into shape."

Sirius sprinted ahead of him. "Not if I get to her first." He joked. Remus surged to him, knocking him to the carpet. They tussled, until Remus put his rogue best friend in a full body bind.

"Say Mercy" he panted.

"Never" Sirius refused, laughing fit to burst. Remus squeezed harder.

"Say Mercy."

"Never."

"Alright, you've left me no choice, then." Remus drew his wand, pretending to think hard on what spell to cast.

"Hum, do I turn you into a slug or a frog? What to do, what to do. I know! I'll turn you into a pretty, hot pink bunny. Sound like a plan?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, but I would. Want to see?"

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted from the couch. She, like the grown men on the floor, was crying from the laughter. Harry was holding his ribs on the seat next to her.

"Fine, Remus, you win. Mercy."

Remus released him from the body bind. Who would have guessed that they were fifty years old, not twenty like they felt?

Who else would have known that from the doorway of her Papa's bedroom, Emily Thea had been listening to the two men who had assumed the role of her parents since she had kissed them good night? Who would have known that she had heard them arguing, felt bad that it was over her when they were best friends, but glad they both wanted her? Who else would have guessed what had happened as she watched them now, wrestling on the ground, crying softly to herself out of sheer happiness that they were okay with each other and a new life with them both was about to begin for her? Surely her sister, her brother-in-law, her papa, and her father didn't know. Nobody would ever know. Papa had been right. She loved her daddy, too. The one and only thing really bothering her as she crawled into her Papa's great big feather bed was her wondering if Papa really would ever bring Tonks home with him?


	31. Love Of My Life

_**CHAPTER THIRTY: LOVE OF MY LIFE**_

Two weeks later (August 4th, 2010)

"Well, Remus, I think that's it for now." Tonks said as she set a good-sized brown box on the floor of Remus's new bedroom in the house he now shared with Sirius and Emily Thea. This new room was significantly larger than his was in his old house. _Thank God Sirius is filthy rich_, Remus thought bitterly. If it weren't for the size of Sirius's bank account, there was no way they could have afforded this house. It was a five bedroom, three bathroom estate near Harry and Hermione's, which, thanks to Harry, was located in Lily Rose Hollow, which bordered Godric's Hollow.  
When Sirius had pulled Remus away from work and showed him the house, Remus had been floored. He knew there was no way he could afford it if Sirius wanted to go fifty-fifty on this deal.  
"Sirius, do we really need all this space? There's no way in hell we do if you want me to pay for half. I can't pay for a quarter of this house." He had said.

"Remus, old buddy, old pal, we don't have to split everything perfectly even, do we? If you want the house, fine, you give what you can, I'll do the rest. I want this house. I want the space. Right now, it's all up to whether you give the go-ahead or not. What do you think?"  
Remus shook his head. It was a great house, one he could picture waking up to in the morning, making coffee, having breakfast with Emily Thea and Sirius as the sun rose. One he could picture himself in on the cold winter nights, sitting near the grand fireplace in the den, reading or writing, sipping some hot chocolate. _With Tonks cuddled up with you_, a small voice inside his head had mentioned before he knew what he was thinking.  
"I love the house, Sirius. It's fine with me. Let's take it." That was the end of their search for the perfect house.  
So there they were then, just him and Tonks, sorting things out. She was so much better at organizing things than he was. All the things hanging on the wall were her doing, the candles on the bed stand, the multiple pillows decorating the bed. She had dragged him to the home improvement store, despite his protesting that he didn't need anything new.  
"For Good Godric's sake, Remus, you've got no color in that bedroom. In the last house, your walls were old wood. It was all dark and gloomy."  
"And I was never in there, so it didn't matter much."  
"You need some life there, man. It's boring. If you get some pizzazz in there, you might actually enjoy it a little."  
"Are bedrooms supposed to be enjoyed?" he'd asked, without even the slightest anticipation of her answer. She'd cast a glance back at him over her shoulder, smirking. The way she did made Remus realize what he'd said and what her answer really was. The thought sent Remus's insides wriggling. She saw the expression on his face and started laughing. That only made his stomach knot tighter. What was he thinking? He'd never thought of her like that before, why the sudden change?  
She'd taken his hand after that, guiding him through the aisles, picking colors and objects he'd never thought about. He never knew a throw pillow was supposed to be for a bed, too, as well as a couch. He'd never thought of putting a bed skirt under his mattress. He knew for one thing it made hiding things under the bed a lot easier. She'd selected a muted blue rug for the floor. It was one of the softest things he'd ever felt. She'd put it right where he'd step every morning to get out of bed. His brand new comforter was almost the same color. Every thing in his room matched now. He had space to move, as opposed to the old room.

He even had his own bathroom now. Once again, she'd decorated that, too. It was all basically soft yellows. When he first saw the completed project, he'd been standing in the doorway, in between the blue and the yellow. His first thought was something along the lines of thinking his room reminded him of ducks in water, but he'd wisely kept that thought to himself. All in all, she'd done a good job. She was right. He could enjoy this.  
He was cleaning off a mirror now, his back to hers. He could see her dusting a chest of drawers in the mirror. A thought began forming in that overworked head of his. What if he could just test her once, see if she really was crushing on him? There was no way it would work, would it?  
Neither one of them turned around to face the other as he talked. That was exactly how he'd wanted it.  
"You know what, Tonks?"  
"Hum?" She answered. He watched as she unconsciously pushed her stray bangs back out of her face without looking back at him. Yes, she was cute.  
"I could use you around more often. You're good at this. Do you think you could come around more often?"

He saw her stiffen over her feather duster, and heard her sharp intake of breath, then let it out in a shudder. She visibly collected herself, and with a smile, she turned to him and said "Sure, when do you need me?"  
He turned around as well. "How does every day sound to you?"  
Her eyes widened quickly. Just as fast, they narrowed in suspicion.  
"Tonks, we need to talk. Come sit down." He said. She walked over to him and sat next to him on the foot of the bed.  
"What is it, Remus?" She could hardly breathe. Could it be he'd finally figured it all out? No way, it had been so long. She'd almost given up on him, thinking he was either truly ignorant or just plain stubborn when it came to her. If he knew, what would happen next? Would he accept it? _Please let him accept it. Please accept it Remus. Please. You've been killing me for far too long_. He had reached to grasp her hand on the bed between them. _Oh, bloody hell, he has figured it out! _she thought excitedly.  
He tossed his head back and stared at the ceiling. "Where do I start?" he asked rhetorically.  
"At the beginning sounds good to me."  
He laughed nervously. He looked down from the ceiling and directly into her eyes. "Wow." He cocked his head, never breaking the eye contact with her. "You have blue eyes." His observation sent her reeling.  
"I've known you for thirty-five years, and you just now realized that?"  
"Apparently, that's not the only thing I've missed in those years." Her heart jumped to her throat. It was really happening. She realized that she was holding her breath.  
"Tonks, breathe, will you, please? Relax. I'm scared, too." He smiled and she melted. She exhaled once, but couldn't stop herself from inhaling and holding it again.  
"Remus, do me a favor and get to the point. You're killing me." He laughed again.  
"James and Sirius mentioned something that I'm sorry had never occurred to me earlier."  
"Go on." She urged. He looked down at her soft white hand clutched in his. He'd never thought of himself as romantic, but as he stared at their hands, he stroked his thumb over the back of her long fingers. She was motionless and silent. He could tell she was reveling.  
"Tonks, you tell me how you feel."  
She couldn't help herself. She threw her arms around his neck, causing him to fall backwards onto the bed, her on top of him. After the initial few seconds of shock, he laughed as he wrapped his arms around her slender body and flipped them so she was pinned beneath him.  
"You know how I feel."   
"Yeah," he said above her. His hands were still pressed between the bed and the small of her back. He was gazing into her eyes. She was lost in the gray of his. "I'm just sorry it took me so long to figure it out."  
"I'll survive."   
"Good. Tell me how I can make your new life easier."  
"By being a large part of it."  
"When do I start?"  
_Oh, sweet Jesus, he's finally flirting with me. Oh, God Almighty, he's sexy. Oh, yes, he's sexy. Oh, God, I can't breathe_. "Right now works for me. How about you?"  
"Perfect." Before he knew what he was doing, his head had lowered and their lips had met. His mind was spinning. His senses were overwhelmed with her. He could hear her gentle moans of pleasure; feel the heat of her athletic and curvy body beneath his. Her perfume, although he'd smelled it before, had never smelled sweeter. She tasted sweet as well. Her tongue was teasing his between their locked lips. He hadn't kissed a woman in longer than he cared to admit. Kissing Tonks was definitely a breath of fresh air. She was great. She was really great.  
Sirius walked whistling down the hall on the way to his own bedroom, just another one of the rooms in the house Tonks had decorated. Speaking of Tonks, maybe he should stop in and see how she and Remus were doing on his room. Last he had seen, Tonks had bounced around him in the door with a very confused-looking Remus Lupin trailing behind, arms full of bags. He must be having fun.

As he approached Remus's door, he stopped short, hearing only rustling. He peeked his head around the door frame. There, against the blue of the blankets, was his cousin, wrapped to the point of invisibility in the arms of his best friend. Sirius retreated from the room in a hasty silence, on his way to grab his older daughter, who was helping bring Emily Thea's furniture in with her fiancée.  
"Harry, Hermione, come here, you have to see this!" Sirius whispered gleefully.  
"What, Dad?" Hermione questioned as he took her wrist and hauled her to Remus's door.  
"Stay absolutely noiseless." Sirius instructed Harry and Hermione. He stooped low to the ground to allow Harry and Hermione to look at the same time. They all took a small look around the corner, barely glimpsing the couple before turning and running in stocking clad feet down the hall to the living room, where Hermione collapsed on top of Harry on the couch, laughing herself to tears.  
"Oh my god, that was." Harry panted through a series of snorts.  
"Remus and Tonks! They were." Hermione said in between fits of hysterical giggles.  
"Snogging!" Sirius provided loudly, sending them all into more snickers.  
"Well," Tonks said from the bed, where she lay next to Remus, who seemed to be floating on air. "I think the family knows."  
Remus chuckled. It was a sound Tonks had come to long to hear.  
"I thought I heard them out there spying on us." He admitted.  
"All of a sudden, about the time he hit your door, the whistling stopped. Yeah, I think he knows."  
"Oh well. That saves us from wasting the time in telling them all. Which means, we have more time for." he said slyly.  
"Whoa there, Buster. I have to catch my breath. Promise me one thing while I try to breathe."  
"What?"

"Promise me you'll tell Emily Thea yourself. Don't let any of them," she shook her head in the direction of the living room. "tell her. You don't think she'll freak out, do you?"

"Tonks, do you want to know something? She won't freak out, I'm sure of it."

"How so?"

"When I went to go tell her Sirius was alive, I said that we had to talk, and she pipes up, 'Papa, did you ask Tonks out?'. she was perfectly fine with it, too. But I promise I'll tell her myself."

"Hey Remus," Tonks said quietly. "Does this mean we're official?"

Remus pushed himself up onto his elbow on the bed next to her to meet her gaze with his own. He knew that if those words came from his mouth, they would be way more important to him than any "I do" ever would be. Was he ready for that kind of thing? Was he really ready?"

"Yes, Tonks, this means we're official."

Drying dishes later that night, Sirius and Remus stood side by side, not a word passing between them.. Sirius kept casting sideways glances at his friend, catching him smiling to himself.

"Damn it, Remus, if you don't say something about how obviously good it was, I might freakin' explode!" Sirius shouted as he threw the towel down. Remus took one look at him and started laughing.

"Remus, come on, I'm trying to be serious." Sirius said in angst. He ended up smiling along with him. "So, was it really that great?"

"Yeah. It was that great."

"Uggh, Remus, you really didn't have to answer that."

"You asked."

"What is it with you? You've changed, Buddy."

"Is that a good thing?"

Sirius thought before responding. "Yeah, Remus, it's a good thing." Sirius nodded his approval.

"Why didn't I figure this out sooner?" Remus asked incredulously. "I could have spent three-quarters of my life already with this woman! Ha-ha, I've never done any of this before. I'm so excited!" Remus was bouncing around the kitchen.  
"Hey, hey, Casanova! Chill out." Sirius took his buddy by the shoulders. Remus looked at Sirius, smiling wide. Sirius smiled back and let him go, shaking his head. "What are we going to do with you?"  
Remus just laughed.

Remus was lying in his bed between his brand new sheets some time later that night, unable to sleep because of the butterflies in his stomach. His whole body was taut, held stiff with nervous anticipation for what lay ahead of him in the coming days, for what new chapter was beginning in his life. He had half a mind not to lie down. Every muscle and tendon in his body was calling to be moved. He felt like pacing, like running in circles and jumping for joy, but he forced himself to stay put. After all, he had a long day tomorrow. He couldn't be up all night.  
A barely audible knock came from the other side of his door. Emily Thea's little round face appeared from behind it. After his heart jumped to his mouth, wondering if it was Tonks, Remus swallowed it and smiled a genuine smile at his little girl.  
"Hey, baby, come in." He said tenderly. She pushed the door open further and shuffled to his bedside, where she stood wordlessly, staring at her feet, blonde hair falling, hiding any peeks of her face Remus might get. He knew something was wrong.  
"Come here, Em." He lifted up the covers of the bed, inviting her to crawl in with him. She gathered her night shirt around herself and climbed in, but kept away, so they wouldn't touch at all, even accidentally. Remus realized that something was really bothering her. Emily Thea had always been a cuddle bug.  
"What's on your mind, Monkey?" That didn't get any response from her, far different than any other time. "Talk to me, Emily Thea. Please." He begged as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She shrugged them off. "Emily Thea, please tell me what's wrong."  
"I never said there was anything wrong." She whispered, looking away from him.  
"I hate to break it to you, kiddo, but you can't fool me. I'm your papa. I know better."  
"Why are you different all of a sudden? What's up that you're not telling me?" She demanded.  
"How am I different?"  
"You're whistling, and smiling, and laughing, and dancing. You never do that, and I want to know what put you in that kind of mood." She set her jaw so that it stuck out in a stubborn face.  
"I've been meaning to tell you, but."  
"You and Tonks got together, didn't you?"  
"Yes, we did. That's what I wanted to tell you." He said. He was horrified by the change that came over her face. She jumped out of the bed like her backend was on fire, and stood beside the bed, glaring at him. Remus followed her out of the bed and knelt in front of her. When he went to go brush the hair from her face, she pulled away and pushed herself against the night stand, trying to get as far away from him as she could.  
"Don't touch me!" she shouted. She sounded almost fearful. Remus was completely baffled.  
"Don't touch me! Don't touch me! You got with her, and oh, how could you? That's disgusting! My own Papa! You."  
"I what? It was just a simple kiss, Em! That's it!" He rose from his knees to stand in front of her.  
"You had sex with her! Oh my god, that's so sick! How could you?!" She cried. She had tears running down her cherry red cheeks. She kicked him hard in the shins and ran from the room, howling. Hermione emerged from the next door, wearing only a t-shirt of Harry's. She watched Emily Thea run down the hall, and then in the bedroom where Remus had seated himself on the bed, rubbing his throbbing leg and working himself up.  
"I never said anything about sex." He growled to Hermione.  
"What just happened in here?" She blinked, confused.  
"She came in here, didn't say a single word to me, so I invited her to crawl in bed with me to cuddle. I knew something was wrong. I was only hoping to make it better. She asked why I was different all of a sudden, and then she asks if Tonks and I are together. I said yes. Then she jumped out of bed and glared at me. She's never done that to me before. So I got out and bent down in front of her. I was going to push the hair out of her face so I could look at her, but as I raised my hand, she jerked back, yelling 'Don't touch me!' I said all that happened was a kiss, but then she started yelling that I had sex with her! I'll kill whoever told her about sex." He muttered angrily.  
"Remus, you know you can't do that. You'll probably never know where she learned about sex. But that girl is probably terrified of you right now." Remus looked shocked and appalled. "Wipe that look off your face. Do you remember when you figured out what your parents did to get you? You flipped out, too. I did." She pointed out.  
"Why would she be afraid of me though?"  
"I don't know why it was so scary for me, either. But I got over it. My dad came in after he found out I knew and explained it to me. I was scared to touch him. But then I figured it would be kind of like hugging a diseased person, and it was just something I had to get over. It was weird, hugging my dad after that talk, but it helped. Maybe you could try that with her." She offered.  
Remus gave her a doubtful look "You didn't happen to see how scared of me she was. I don't think she'll talk to me for days."  
"Well, she has to talk to somebody, and if she's scared to talk to people who have had sex, she's going to have a real problem. She doesn't have any friends near by, and all the others are adults who have had sex. She has to talk to you."  
"Fine, I'll go try, but you're coming, too."  
"Deal."  
They marched down the hall and knocked on Emily Thea's door.  
"Go away, Papa, I don't want to talk to you." She yelled. Remus shoved Hermione in front of him. She opened the door.  
"Last I checked, I wasn't Papa." She said gingerly. Emily Thea was lying on her bed, her face buried in the pillows, unable to see them.  
"Yeah, you're not, but he's right behind you, I can tell." She said without looking up.  
"Em, baby, we have to talk to you."  
"People who have sex are gross." She stated, face still in the pillows.  
"Nearly every adult you know has had sex, babe."  
"Then they're all gross."  
"If it weren't for sex, you wouldn't be here."  
Emily Thea wailed. "I hadn't thought of that! Thanks for mentioning it!"  
"Sex is a part of life. One of these days, you'll learn it's not so bad. Really."  
"You've had sex; of course you'd say that."  
"Yes," Hermione admitted. "I have had sex."  
"With who?"  
"A few people. Harry, mainly." Emily Thea shivered.  
"Em, Papa didn't have sex with Tonks. All they did was kiss." Emily Thea sat up, sniffling.  
"They didn't?"  
"No, Monkey, we didn't." He said as he moved to her.  
"Have you ever had sex before?"  
"Yes." He confessed fairly.  
"Are you ever going to have sex with her?"  
"Listen to me, okay?" He asked as he sat down next to her on the bed. "Sex is not something to be taken lightly. If you're going to have sex with somebody, you have to care for them. A lot. You don't just do it with anybody. That's why it's sometimes called 'making love'. If you have sex with someone, you already love them, but you love them even more after that. Understand?"  
"Yes, but you didn't answer my question."  
"Yes, Emily Thea, I might have sex with her. No, I won't. If we ever do that, it will be making love. But yeah, it will probably happen someday. Are you alright now?"  
"I guess, but it's still a little weird."  
"It takes some getting used to. Everybody had to have some time to get used to it when they first found out." Hermione said evenly. Emily Thea just shook her head.  
"Okay, well, I'm tired. I'm going back to bed." Hermione kissed the top of Emily Thea's head, and then Remus's cheek. "I love you both. Goodnight."  
"Goodnight Hermione" they chorused. She left the two of them sitting on the bed. Remus reached over to his daughter and pulled her hair behind her ear, grateful that she let him.  
"Are you really okay now, Monkey?" He asked. She looked up at him, bright blue eyes shining in the dim light.  
"Yeah, Papa, I'm okay now." She edged closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Papa." She whispered into his shirt collar. He squeezed her to him.  
"I love you, too, Emily Thea. I love you so much." Remus tucked her in and kissed her goodnight, and then returned to his own bed, shaken.

Yes, he remembered having to face his parents after learning about the birds and the bees. He hadn't taken it as well as Emily Thea had. He was the one who had stopped talking to them. It gave him goose bumps to think that one day he might do something like what they had done. Now, it still gave him goose bumps, remembering some wild and crazy nights he'd spent. He knew it had taken guts for Emily Thea to touch him tonight, guts and love. It never ceased to amaze him that she loved him so much. He didn't think he'd ever get used to being loved, or loving someone else so fully. He'd never take it for granted. She was just so precious to him. He'd gotten so used to being shunned that now, having someone that truly loved him that much was strange to him. Was it really like hugging a diseased person? He hadn't said 'I love you' to his parents. Thank Heavens he had Emily Thea. He didn't know what he'd do without her.

2 weeks, 2 days later (August 20th, 2010)

"It's about time!" Tonks exclaimed as she slipped into her brand new, scarlet, slit leg bridesmaid dress and turned to see how she looked in Remus's bedroom mirror. Remus was sitting on his bed, adjusting his tie, and admiring what a knockout his girlfriend was. They were getting ready to attend the ceremony of marriage for Harry and Hermione, or, as some were saying, their next attempt at one. Nearly every member of the family had heard of people taking bets on whether they would really get married and stay married this time around.

"I can't wait for this wedding!" Tonks was her usual bright, bubbly self. "Remus, do you think I look okay?"

He stood and came to her from behind, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. Quoting a line from a song Tonks was especially fond of, he sang softly in her ear, "It's late in the evening, she's wondering what clothes to wear. She puts on her make-up, and brushes her long blonde hair. And then she asks me, "Do I look alright?'" And I say "Yes, you look wonderful tonight ." They swayed together as he continued singing. Tonks was melting, her body molding delicately to his, until there was no longer any distance between their bodies or their hearts. "Oh my darling, you look wonderful tonight." Remus finished.

"I can't really trust you to tell me when I look bad, can I?" she smiled as she whispered.

"Yes, hypothetically you could, but you won't ever hear those words out of my mouth." He said as he left a trail of small, sweet kisses down her neckline, nipping her shoulder blade lightly and causing her to laugh faintly. "Where's your necklace?" he asked, still moving his lips against her bare skin.

"On the dresser, in the big velvet box." She said in a silky voice. Remus moved away to retrieve the box, flipped it open and stared wide-eyed at the diamonds sparkling in the case. They were huge! He tenderly picked up the gems and returned to her, pulling the diamonds to just the right spot on her neck and fastening the latch on the back. He stood back and observed her. She had on the scarlet dress, which was almost identical to the one Ginny would be wearing, deep red shoes, low-key nylons that covered her long, long, beautifully shaped legs. Her hair was pulled back into a curly mass of blonde on the back of her head, bangs framing her angel face. The diamonds were hardly noticeable against the beauty of the woman wearing them. Remus sighed.

"You look radiant, Honey."

"Do I really?" she asked

"Yes, you do."

"Remus? Can I tell you something?"

"Sure. What is it?" She spun around and took his hands, just so she could hold them.

"I love you." She looked him directly in the eye as she said them, those three little words that could make all the difference in the world. The same ones that made all the difference to him. He kissed her affectionately before he repeated them.

"I love you, too."

Hermione, still in jeans, but with her hair done up elegantly, waited by the door, not too keen on wrecking the moment for the two of them. She'd come to see whether everything was going smoothly for her bridesmaid or not. She had walked in just at the time Tonks had told her Papa she loved him. Hermione was astonished. And hearing her Papa say them back had Hermione close to tears. She fought strongly to keep from crying, not wanting her make-up, which had taken forever for her to do, to run. She made sure that Tonks looked just how she was supposed to, and then left the room, thrilled for them. Remus had gone so long without someone to love him like that, although Tonks would have jumped at the chance to love him at any given moment. Yes, he knew he had the love of his daughter, and Hermione, and his friends and family. But having a lover was something totally different. Maybe sometime soon, Hermione herself would be a bridesmaid at a certain couple's wedding.

Wandering back down the hall, she wasn't watching and hit someone else head on. Looking up, she saw two people she was not certain she should even have invited to the wedding. Fred and George Weasley stood before her, dressed to the nines and two busty babes hanging on their arms. Hermione groaned. She loved them, but if she had the slightest indication of trouble for her other guests, she'd chuck them out in a heartbeat. She was picked up in a bone-crushing hug by George, then passed to Fred. He released her, and helped her, to no avail, try to nurse her aching ribs.

"I swear to you two, if I find a single Canary Cream, or Skiving Snackboxes, or U-No-Poo in any guests' food, I will kill you. If all of a sudden, a guest suddenly disappears, I know who to come after. Do you understand me?"

"Well, George, she hasn't changed much. She's still that same hot-tempered little short shit she always was." Fred said jokingly.

"Poor Harry, mate, does he know what he's getting in to?" George said to a fuming Hermione.

"You ornery little bastards." She swore.

"Hermione, that is no language for a lady to use!" Fred said in mock disgust.

"Oh, I'll show you lady, you."

"Have you met our lady friends, Veronica and Hannah?" George cut her off. Hermione took a soothing breath and turned to the girl on George's arm.

"Hermione, this is Hannah Bates. Hannah, this is Hermione Black, soon to be known as Hermione Potter, once again." George said to the scantly dressed brunette with her hand slipped under his elbow. She had on an off-white, strapless, high-on-the-thigh dress, leaving little to the imagination.

Fred took his turn to introduce his 'lady friend'. "Hermione, this is Veronica Balto. Ronnie, this is my dear, sweet, loving cousin, Hermione." Ronnie was dressed a little better. Her dress was baby pink with stripes of blue, which reminded Hermione strongly of cotton candy. At least it covered more on her. It had straps and was knee length. She had jet black hair and dark skin.

"Well," Hermione said. "It was great meeting both of you, but I have to cut this meeting short. I'm really very sorry. I'll see you at the church, I take it?" Both girls nodded eagerly. "Great." Hermione turned to the twins. "Fred, George, please, I'm begging you, be good." Fred leaned in close and whispered in her ear.

"We wouldn't ruin your wedding for you, Hermione." He kissed her cheek and turned to George. George followed suit.

"The next time we see you," he murmured in her ear, "you will be dressed in white, about to get married. The next time we talk to you, you'll be a blushing bride. Congratulations, 'Mione." He kissed her other cheek and followed Fred out of the front door and to the Apparating area outside the village.

Harry found Hermione standing still in the hall where they left her, shaking her head.

"I swear!" She said as she rounded on him, catching him off guard. "If I didn't have a rather large affection for those two, I wouldn't let them through the doors of that church! Did you see what their '_lady friends_' were wearing?!? I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if lightening struck them down the minute they try to set foot in a place of God!"

Harry just snickered and wrapped her in a bear hug.

"Hermione Honey, if you don't calm down, you might faint at the alter." Hermione looked up at him, horrified.

"Can that really happen?" she asked, her voice screeching.

"I'm not sure. But I am taking the groomsmen and we're going to the church. I just thought I'd say I love you before I left." Hermione nodded and buried her head in his chest for a moment or two, just to be calmed and comforted by his presence. It always seemed to work. She kissed him once more, and he left, with his cronies (okay, so they were all family, but still.) in tow.


	32. From Here To Eternity

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: FROM HERE TO ETERNITY**_

Hermione was standing in front of a huge mirror in a back room, alone, listening to the soft violin music floating through the air, just slightly above the babble of voices coming from where their ceremony would take place. She was admiring the gown, the way it swished around the bottom, the sparkling beads around the top. Her make-up had been kept fairly simple, but, as far as she could see, she looked rather elegant. If all went well, she and Harry would finally be married for good in less than five minutes. She heard a throat being cleared behind her. She spun around to see her father dressed in a black suit that fit his naturally thin frame nicely. He'd regained the huge amounts of weight he'd lost, and now the only thing missing was the muscle, but that could wait for Hermione. She was happy to have him tipping the scales at a decent weight again.

"Hey, Baby Girl." he said softly, in awe of her. "Are you ready to go?"

She walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "Yeah Daddy, I'm ready."

"Then I guess I am, too." He let her slip a hand under his elbow and guided her from the little bridal room they were in to just around the corner from the double doors where she'd make her entrance. Ginny, who was her maid of honor, pranced to her, a wide smile on her face.

At the look of anxiousness on her friend's face, Ginny laughed. "Everything's fine, Hermione. Harry and his boys are already in there. It's all going to be fine." She hugged the bride before the other girls in the bridal party followed suit. In the order of their place at Hermione's alter side, Tonks, Emily Thea, and CeCe all approached her and squeezed her.

"I love you, Mummy." Little CeCe said as she buried her face in her mother's wedding gown, then turned to her grandfather and hugged him. The first tear of the day came to Hermione's eye as she watched her father and daughter cuddle, dark hair pushed back nicely against braided brunette, just like her mother's. He set her down and she returned to her spot in line at the front of the group, Emily Thea, Tonks, and Ginny behind her. The music changed as Hermione drew a deep breath and gave the signal for her baby to go ahead and walk down the aisle. Emily Thea, wearing a blush pink dress the same as CeCe's, followed, then Tonks and Ginny in their maroon. They all looked gorgeous, smiling and gliding to the front, each aligned with one of Harry's groomsmen, Charlie, Sirius (when he got there), Remus, and Ron, respectively. Ginny had reached the priest's side and he gave the signal for the guests to rise. Sirius took a small step forward. Hermione stepped with him.

Harry had watched all of Hermione's girls step forward, starting with their daughter. She'd winked at her daddy when she reached him. He'd smiled, knowing he'd raised her to be playful like that. She looked so grown up. She was nine going on twenty-five, it seemed to him. Maybe he should think about another one. He thought that maybe he might like another baby with Hermione, now that he was in the position to have one. _That's not such a bad idea, _he thought to himself. Before he knew it, Ginny had reached the alter and was turning to stand in her place. The big moment was upon them. Harry held his breath as the wedding march began. He got his first glimpse of his wife just then. She was smiling, brown eyes shining as they locked eyes. Time froze, and everyone else evaporated except the two of them, or so it felt. He heard his son whisper "Wow, look at Mum." somewhere down the way in his groomsmen line, but he hardly registered what he'd heard. All he knew was her. This was how it was supposed to be.

She heard whispers on either side of her, admiring sighs of "Wow, she looks great!" or "Oh, she is beautiful!" She felt like she was walking on air. She noticed Harry seemed to be having trouble standing in one place and not sprinting to her, like he obviously wanted to. She and her father had made that walk. They stopped as Sirius turned to her and kissed her temple gently. "I love you, Hermione."

She smiled as she cried, managing only to mouth the same words through the knot in her throat. Harry came to her right side. Sirius took her hand and folded it into Harry's.

"Who gives this woman to be married?" the pastor asked, customarily.

Sirius turned to his old friend Remus and jerked his head in a motion that clearly meant "Come here." Remus looked stunned, but stepped down and next to Sirius. They said "We do." together. Sirius kissed Hermione one more time and hurried to his place among Harry's groomsmen. Remus stepped closer to Hermione to give her a kiss of his own.

"I love you, Papa."

"I love you, too. Did you plan that?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, Papa, that was all your best friend's doing. I didn't know that would happen. But I'm glad it did."

"Me, too." He kissed her once more because he felt like it, and went to stand next to Sirius.

"Thanks, Padfoot." he said quietly as he reached him.

Sirius met his friend's eye with his own sparkling blue-grays. "Don't mention it. She's yours, too." Remus stood next to him proudly. Both were thinking of James and Lily, wishing they could be here for this. The audience sat as the priest began to speak.

The wedding party and about fifty close friends watched as the couple said their vows, lit a unity candle, and exchanged new rings. More than a few whoops and hollers were heard when the minister had pronounced them husband and wife and they had shared a kiss. A stream of light had burst through the room from one of the stained glass windows that was the ceremony's backdrop just as the pastor had said "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. And Mrs. Harry Potter!" Harry and Hermione looked over to see Remus and Sirius standing, obviously thinking the same as they were. Maybe Harry's parents weren't too far away after all. The happy couple were holding hands as they left the building and went out to a beautiful carriage that would take them to their reception, maybe with a detour or two between time.

Harry helped Hermione into the coach and climbed in after her. He sat down next to her as the carriage began to move. As he looked over at her, she was looking back, smiling easily. He was in wonderment, just staring into her soul. He leaned in gently to take her face in his hands and kiss her tenderly. "I love you, Hermione."

She snuggled into his arms as she returned the kiss, making sure she lingered for a satisfying while before she murmured "I love you, too, Harry." She closed her eyes as she smelled the cologne on his firm chest. She loved him too much to express in words, so she rested on him as she let the father of her children, her lover, her friend, her rock, her husband stroke her hair and embrace her. Life was good.

What Hermione did not know was Harry had a surprise planned for her at the reception. She'd told him to pick the first song they danced to as husband and wife the second time around. He'd chosen one that had kept his love for her alive while she'd been gone. She wouldn't know the song. This would be the first time she'd ever hear it. He knew she'd pay attention to the words and take them to heart as they spun around the floor. He knew she'd cry, because things like that hit her that way. He was slightly sorry for knowing she would be crying, but something in him needed to see those tears. She would be crying for him.

Another short introduction as husband and wife later, Harry and Hermione were in the center of a massive dance floor, surrounded by family and friends, a single spotlight illuminating the glow of the two of them. Radiance seemed to be following them. Harry smiled at Hermione as the music started. She gave him a funny little look to let him know she was considering the music.

"No, Honey, you don't know the song. Listen carefully though." Harry said gently

_Lying beside you, here in the dark_

_Feeling your heart beat with mine_

_Softly you whisper, _

_You're so sincere_

_How could our love be so blind?_

_We sailed along together, _

_We drifted apart_

_And here you are by my side_

_Now I come to you with open arms_

_Nothing to hide_

_Believe what I say_

_So here I lie with open arms_

_Hoping you'll see what your love means to me_

_Open arms_

_Living without you_

_Living alone_

_This empty house seemed so cold_

_Wanting to hold you, wanting you near_

_How much I wanted you home_

_And now that you've come back_

_Turned night into day_

_I need you to stay_

_So now I come to you with open arms_

_Nothing to hide, believe what I say_

_So here I lie with open arms _

_Hoping you'll see what your love means to me_

_Open arms_

Harry was right. Hermione cried on his shoulder throughout the song.

Harry and Hermione were gone for a while on their honeymoon. They had left to somewhere tropical. They'd left their kids in Sirius's, Tonks's, and Remus's care for two weeks. This was going to be an adventure for them all.

Sirius was out for the night. Remus and Tonks had already conned the kids into an early bedtime, and were parked on the porch, sipping red wine and talking quietly. They hadn't been together long, but things had gotten serious fast. It was like they'd been doing this for years. They were hand in hand and heart to heart.

"Ahh," Tonks sighed as she sunk further and further into her fluffy chair. Remus was sitting at her side in another chair, looking at her and laughing, but content not to talk.

"I wish we could do this more often. It's so relaxing." she spoke softly, trying not to disturb the peace. They were watching the sunset fall across the river Remus and Sirius's house bordered.

"No joke." Remus responded, making Tonks laugh.

"You're looking a little peaked, honey. What's up?" she sat up and reached across to touch her hand to his.

"Tonks, I have something to say to you. I'm kind of nervous, so truthfully, I lost a little sleep over it last night."

"What is it, Remus?" She said, the gentleness in her voice soothing his worries. He stood and took her hand to pull her into a standing position in front of him. He got down on one knee and reached into his pocket, pulling out a solitaire diamond, one he desperately wanted her to wear.

"Tonks, I've been thinking. Life's been a whirlwind for me lately. When James and Sirius first mentioned that you felt something for me, I was in denial. I didn't think that kind of thing was in the future for me. But then I decided to take a chance with it. I got more than I could have ever thought. You're a dream come true. And if you wouldn't mind, I want to keep dreaming. This relationship is so precious to me. I love you, Tonks. I want to grow old with you, have babies with you, make a life with you. Will you marry me?"

She didn't really have to answer. He could see the answer shining in her eyes. But she nodded through a teary smile. He beamed as he took her hand to slip the ring on. Her lips met his in a passionate and tender kiss.

"I love you, Remus John Lupin." she whispered, her lips brushing his with every word.

"And I love you, Nymphadora Lauren Charmaine Tonks." He bundled her tightly in his arms, running his fingers through her hair and kissing her lightly.

Emily Thea Black watched the two of them from the dark of her bedroom window. She watched as they talked, occasionally touched, then as her Papa became suddenly motionless and silent, staring at his girlfriend. She saw him stand and pull her up with him, then drop to one knee on the wood of their back porch. Emily Thea started to cry. She was happy for them, sure, but then why was part of her mourning? She gazed down as Tonks shook her head, saying yes, and as the shiny little diamond slid over her finger. They kissed as Emily Thea retreated from the window to lie down on her bed, crying to herself. What was the matter with her? Her hero, the man who had raised her, taught her everything she needed to know, the one who had broken the real news to her about some of the more concealed facts of life, the man she loved as her father, had just proposed to a woman he was crazy about, and one Emily Thea was sure he really was going to spend his next hundred years with. So why did she feel abandoned, betrayed, hurt, and inwardly outraged?

Just then, she heard an obviously excited knock on her door.

"Monkey, come here! I've got some great news!" Emily Thea could just hear the smile in his voice. She wiped her face clean, her eyes dry, and managed a curious look on her pretty little face. She pulled the door open wide, allowing Remus in. He scooped her up in a hug. Perched high, she had to pretend she was unknowing, asking him what was going on, all the while really dying inside.

"What is it?!?" she laughed as she questioned.

"What would you think if Tonks and I got married? What would you think? Tell me what you'd think."

"Hum," she pretended to be thinking over her answer. She knew what she wanted to say, but the words she felt like saying were not the ones that he would ever hear. "I would say, it's about time, and that's great!" She smiled as she said the complete opposite of what she was thinking.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Good. What if I told you that I asked her to marry me?"

"What if I said Congratulations?"

"I'd tell you that I love you more than I could ever say, and I'm glad you're okay with it. You are the best daughter."

"Congratulations, Papa." She hugged him. "Now go celebrate. You deserve someone like her to be with you. I wish you both the best, and I love you both."

"You remind me a lot of your sister, did you know that?"

"Well, she is my sister. I should remind you of her in some ways." He pulled her closer to him and kissed her platinum blonde head.

"I love you, Monkey."

"I love you, too, Papa." He kissed her one more time and walked out, pulling the door closed behind him.

She stood where she was for a moment or two longer, thinking as she wept. They would probably spent their eternity together, kissing, 'making love' as he'd called it, sharing good times and bad. He'd have the last piece of his puzzle. But that didn't stop her from feeling crummy anyway.

Remus had Tonks by her hand, pulling her along behind him as they ran up the halls, acting more seventeen than adults. They both knew where they were heading, for the first time since their relationship had begun. They reached his door. Before opening it, he spun her and pinned her against the door, pressing his lips against hers slowly, working his way down to the nape of her neck. He slipped the shoulder strap of her tank top down her arm, kissing in its trail and back again. Her heart was pounding as she allowed him to cruise her body with gentle hands and eager lips. She reached behind her and, with some effort, turned the knob to open the door. He remained attached to her as they fell in and danced their way to his bed. She was giving way to his quest already, breathing in his manly scent, adoring him. She ran her hands over him, reveling in the feel of his firm body burning with every touch of her fingertips. He was gentle, nothing about his manners hinting at the raging ocean of feelings he was feeling in the deepest part of his soul. He'd been alone for so long, the emotions she was boiling were strangers to him anymore. But, he was more than ready to have them touched.

"If you could know how good this flame feels, you'd know there's nothing I wouldn't do to get to you. Come with me, Tonks. Just come away with me." he mumbled, doing all he could to keep from bursting.

"I'll go with you. Just show me where." Her body was humming and she was breathless with the anticipation of their night.

"Just give me the reigns, Tonks. I'll show you what it's like to lose control. Let me, Tonks. Let me fulfill what I've been dreaming about."

She swallowed with difficulty. "You can have them, Remus. Please, let's go. I can't wait any longer." She was climbing already just thinking about it. She toppled backwards, landing softly on the bed. He remained standing, staring down at her, noticing the way her tank top had yet to be replaced on her shoulder, the way the white of the fabric was holding back her subtle breasts, hiding them from him. She saw him watching, and saw him watching still as she reached down and pulled the top off and tossed it aside. She did the same to her cut-offs, pulling them around her hips and down her longer-than-heavenly legs. He never stopped paying close attention. It was the first time in her life Tonks hadn't been shy. He came to her then, pulling his t-shirt around his head. He was strong and it showed. He had nicely shaped abs and pecks, glorious arms, not the kind of body you would guess someone like him would have, but he was all hers. She reached to strip his jeans off. She hardly got the button undone and the zipper down before he placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back as he kissed her again, letting himself taste her every desire. She yielded to him, giving him what he was looking for. Warm lips met hot flesh as he ran his fingers across her, skimming his hands down her body, his mouth following where his hands went. The trail led his kisses down around her navel, and a little further down. She cried out as his mouth took her. He was amazing. He knew just the way to flick his tongue, sending her to the sky on the feeling. She was sobbing as he gave one last skim with his tongue over her. She was gone on the ride. Her every sense was alive, throbbing and crying for more. He was more than happy to give. She pulled on his jeans to get them off, frantically, wanting all she could take. The room seemed stuffy, they were sweating, screaming, crying. In the dark, she pulled him towards her, and as he pushed himself into her, she screamed. She was clawing at the bed sheets, trying desperately to cling to something. She had handed him the reigns, and he was taking her to places she'd never been. She hadn't know she could feel so much, be so aware of the sensations ringing in her body, and never want this kind of thing to end. He had her over the edge time and time again. He had her climbing and falling with his every move, that same man she could feel inside her right then. Their bodies were slick, the sheets tangled around them as they enjoyed every miracle brought on by a long night spent loving and making love. They were chasing passion, and catching it with every feeling. They were one that night, darkness falling around them, bodies full of life and free to make their own kind of thunder.


End file.
